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The European Championship 2012 Bettingpro.com’s Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship June 2012

Euro 2012 betting guide

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Page 1: Euro 2012 betting guide

The European Championship 2012Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship

June 2012

Table of Contents

Introduction FixturesEuro 2012 Free Bets Guide7 Best Euro 2012 Promotions Euro 2012 Winner Tips Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the Dutch Top Goalscorer TipsEuro 2012 Groups

bull Euro 2012 Group Betting Tipsbull Group A Betting Tips bull Group B Betting Tips bull Group C Betting Tips bull Group D Betting Tips

Patriotic Puntingbull Can England win Euro 2012 - For and Against bull 10 Reasons why England can win Euro 2012 bull 5 Reasons why Ireland can shock Euro 2012

Betting by Numbers bull The 7 Best Bets at Euro 2012 bull Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012

16 Team Profiles Expert Panel

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 1

2 356789101112131415

161718

19202153

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Introduction

The wait is almost over and Euro 2012 is just days away Itrsquos time to start thinking about placing a few bets on the tournament and making the most of a staggering number of free bets betting markets and cash back specials on offer at leading bookmakers online

The old favourites such as tournament winner top goal scorer and bets on who will win each group of course are the most popular and there is certainly value to be found on these markets but there are also a number of lsquospecialrsquo bets available ranging from the stage at which each team will exit to who will score the most goals and which the club will provide the top goal scorer over in Poland and Ukraine

Bettingprocomrsquos team of writers have analysed every single market available on Euro 2012 and in this extensive guide we will aim to provide you not only with all of our tips and best bets on the tournament but also with all of the information you need to help you make your own selections

There are profiles for each of the 16 nations competing in Poland and Ukraine along with tips on how to make a profit betting on each In addition to this we have included a number of lsquofeature articlesrsquo written by our team of experts with their tips and recommendations on all aspects of Euro 2012 betting

There will inevitably be some conflict of opinions amongst our writers ndash not least on the chances of Roy Hodgsonrsquos England team ndash but hopefully the arguments can serve as a guide to help you make fully formed decisions on the important issues not least who will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy on July 1st in Kiev

As with any betting there is of course risk involved and Bettingprocom accepts no responsibility for any losses incurred during Euro 2012 We have compiled this book as a guide to help you with your betting These are after all only our opinions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 2

Fixtures - Group Stages

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 3

Fixtures - Knockout Phase

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 4

Euro 2012 Free Bets GuideThere are a whole host of bookmakers offering free bets on Euro 2012 Heres a guide to the best currently available

Euro 2012 begins on June 8th and already the bookmakers are gearing up for the tournament with a number of firms already running money back specials on the outright markets Bet Victor are refunding all losing bets if Spain win Euro 2012 while Boylesports will refund bets if your selection is knocked out in penalties

As well as these offers there are also a whole range of free bets available for those who havent already opened accounts with the major betting firms including some that are exclusive to Bettingpro readers Heres a selection of the best offers from the biggest bookmakers

bet365

bet365 are arguably the biggest name in online betting and they have one of the biggest welcome bonuses for new customers If you register an account using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS then the firm will match your first deposit with a 100 free bet to a maximum value of pound200

Click here to go to bet365

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes are probably the best known bookmaker in the world and the Magic Sign have a fantastic sign-up offer for new accounts Simply register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and theyll give you a free bet up to the value of pound50 Ladbrokes will also be running a range of match promotions and enhanced prices throughout Euro 2012

Click here to go to Ladbrokes

Paddy Power

Bettingpro readers can get an exclusive welcome bonus worth up to pound250 when they register a new account with Paddy Power in time for Euro 2012 Make an initial deposit of up to pound50 and Paddy will match it with a pound50 free bet and he will do the same for the next four bets of up to pound50

Click here to go to Paddy Power

Boylesports

Boylesports currently offer the best welcome bonus for Bettingpro readers who want to play with smaller stakes If you register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and

make a deposit of pound20 then the Irish firm will give you a pound40 free bet to use on the Euro 2012 market of your choice Thats a 200 bonus

Click here to go to Boylesports

Sporting Bet

Sporting Bet have rolled out a risk free offer for Euro 2012 Simply register a new account with the firm and place your first bet If it wins then you win but if it loses then Sporting Bet will refund your stake up to a maximum of pound50 Register using the Sporting Bet promotion code MAXIMUMBONUS to get pound50 risk free

Click here to go to Sporting Bet

Sky Bet

Sky Bets Euro 2012 free bet offer isnt just risk free but it also require no deposit Simply register an account with the firm and they will credit your account with pound10 which can be wagered on whatever market you wish No risk no deposit just free money

Click here to go to Sky Bet

Coral

Coral have a number of money back specials throughout Euro 2012 and they are also offering all new customers a pound50 free bet when they register an account Simply sign-up with the firm and make a first deposit and Coral will credit your account with a free bet of the same value up to a maximum of pound50

Click here to go to Coral

Betfred

Betfred is known as the Bonus King and its therefore no surprise that the firm will have a number of promotions and money back specials running throughout Euro 2012 Not only will they be continuing their popular Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven promotion throughout the tournament but they will also have player specific First Goalscorer money back offers running on every match Bettingpro customers who dont already have a Betfred can claim a free pound50 bet to use on Euro 2012 when they register with the firm using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS

Click here to go to Betfred

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 5

The 7 Best Euro 2012 Bookmaker PromotionsEuro 2012 starts on Friday 8 June and we have collated the seven best promotions for the European Championship

Euro 2012 is a big deal in the betting world with more people than ever looking to place a bet or three on the European Championship especially with England involved this time around

Itrsquos therefore only natural that the bookies are scrapping over who gets the largest share of the pie as far as customers placing bets are concerned and the operators have come up with some beauties when it comes to Euro 2012 promotions

Here are the Bettingpro top 7 promotions for Euro 2012

1 BetVictor - pound100 free bets and Spain cashback

Nothing quite comes close to BetVictorrsquos offer to refund losing outright bets (up to pound50) if Spain win Euro 2012 with Vicente del Bosquersquos team looking to land their third consecutive victory in a major tournament Good luck with trying to get Spain beaten Victor

New customers can qualify for an exclusive pound100 in free bets when they open a BetVictor account through Bettingprocom which is pretty generous

2 Ladbrokes - pound75 free bet and Golden Boot pound5 bonuses

The Magic Sign have been super creative with their Euro 2012 offering Bet pound20 on Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer and yoursquoll get a pound5 free bet every time your player scores a goal

If you havenrsquot yet opened an account with Ladbrokes text MAX to 86131 and you can claim a whopping pound75 free bet on Euro 2012

3 Paddy Power ndash money back on England v France and Ireland v Croatia

Paddy were always going to come up with the goods and you will get all losing First Goalscorer Last Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

4 Boylesports ndash 3 money back offers + pound40 in free bets

Boylesports have three Euro 2012 pearlers including Donrsquot Pay the Penalty which will see them refund losing outright bets on any team that are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out

Boyles will also refund losing First Last amp Anytime Goalscorer bets on any Ireland game if Ireland score a goal () while you will get First Goalscorer cashback on any Euro 2012 match if your player scores second

You can also claim a pound40 free bet with Boylesports by texting MAX to 51500

5 Bet365 ndash bore draw money back unlimited goalscorers and pound200 free bets

Bet365 have confirmed they will refund First Last and Anytime Goalscorer bets for every Euro 2012 game that ends in a 0-0 draw as well as Correct Score and Half-Time Full-Time

You can get unlimited each-way terms on First Goalscorer for every match and bet365rsquos pound200 free bet balance remains the most generous new customer offer

6 Sportingbet ndash 50 bonus winnings on Euro 2012 Multiples + pound50 risk-free bet

Wersquore liking the fact that Sportingbet will boost your winnings by 50 if you place a successful four-fold on the Euro 2012 group winners Especially as yoursquoll get a free consolation bet if one selection lets you down There is also a tasty pound50 risk-free bet for new customers

7 Sky Bet - pound10 no deposit free bet on Euro 2012 plus a pound50 matched bet

Sky Bet are the only bookmaker to offer new customers a free bet without making a deposit and that will see people flocking to their site in the coming days If you sign-up at Bettingprocom you will also get a 100 matched free bet (up to pound50) when you make your first deposit Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 6

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 ChampionsClaim13 here

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 2: Euro 2012 betting guide

Table of Contents

Introduction FixturesEuro 2012 Free Bets Guide7 Best Euro 2012 Promotions Euro 2012 Winner Tips Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the Dutch Top Goalscorer TipsEuro 2012 Groups

bull Euro 2012 Group Betting Tipsbull Group A Betting Tips bull Group B Betting Tips bull Group C Betting Tips bull Group D Betting Tips

Patriotic Puntingbull Can England win Euro 2012 - For and Against bull 10 Reasons why England can win Euro 2012 bull 5 Reasons why Ireland can shock Euro 2012

Betting by Numbers bull The 7 Best Bets at Euro 2012 bull Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012

16 Team Profiles Expert Panel

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 1

2 356789101112131415

161718

19202153

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Introduction

The wait is almost over and Euro 2012 is just days away Itrsquos time to start thinking about placing a few bets on the tournament and making the most of a staggering number of free bets betting markets and cash back specials on offer at leading bookmakers online

The old favourites such as tournament winner top goal scorer and bets on who will win each group of course are the most popular and there is certainly value to be found on these markets but there are also a number of lsquospecialrsquo bets available ranging from the stage at which each team will exit to who will score the most goals and which the club will provide the top goal scorer over in Poland and Ukraine

Bettingprocomrsquos team of writers have analysed every single market available on Euro 2012 and in this extensive guide we will aim to provide you not only with all of our tips and best bets on the tournament but also with all of the information you need to help you make your own selections

There are profiles for each of the 16 nations competing in Poland and Ukraine along with tips on how to make a profit betting on each In addition to this we have included a number of lsquofeature articlesrsquo written by our team of experts with their tips and recommendations on all aspects of Euro 2012 betting

There will inevitably be some conflict of opinions amongst our writers ndash not least on the chances of Roy Hodgsonrsquos England team ndash but hopefully the arguments can serve as a guide to help you make fully formed decisions on the important issues not least who will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy on July 1st in Kiev

As with any betting there is of course risk involved and Bettingprocom accepts no responsibility for any losses incurred during Euro 2012 We have compiled this book as a guide to help you with your betting These are after all only our opinions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 2

Fixtures - Group Stages

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 3

Fixtures - Knockout Phase

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 4

Euro 2012 Free Bets GuideThere are a whole host of bookmakers offering free bets on Euro 2012 Heres a guide to the best currently available

Euro 2012 begins on June 8th and already the bookmakers are gearing up for the tournament with a number of firms already running money back specials on the outright markets Bet Victor are refunding all losing bets if Spain win Euro 2012 while Boylesports will refund bets if your selection is knocked out in penalties

As well as these offers there are also a whole range of free bets available for those who havent already opened accounts with the major betting firms including some that are exclusive to Bettingpro readers Heres a selection of the best offers from the biggest bookmakers

bet365

bet365 are arguably the biggest name in online betting and they have one of the biggest welcome bonuses for new customers If you register an account using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS then the firm will match your first deposit with a 100 free bet to a maximum value of pound200

Click here to go to bet365

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes are probably the best known bookmaker in the world and the Magic Sign have a fantastic sign-up offer for new accounts Simply register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and theyll give you a free bet up to the value of pound50 Ladbrokes will also be running a range of match promotions and enhanced prices throughout Euro 2012

Click here to go to Ladbrokes

Paddy Power

Bettingpro readers can get an exclusive welcome bonus worth up to pound250 when they register a new account with Paddy Power in time for Euro 2012 Make an initial deposit of up to pound50 and Paddy will match it with a pound50 free bet and he will do the same for the next four bets of up to pound50

Click here to go to Paddy Power

Boylesports

Boylesports currently offer the best welcome bonus for Bettingpro readers who want to play with smaller stakes If you register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and

make a deposit of pound20 then the Irish firm will give you a pound40 free bet to use on the Euro 2012 market of your choice Thats a 200 bonus

Click here to go to Boylesports

Sporting Bet

Sporting Bet have rolled out a risk free offer for Euro 2012 Simply register a new account with the firm and place your first bet If it wins then you win but if it loses then Sporting Bet will refund your stake up to a maximum of pound50 Register using the Sporting Bet promotion code MAXIMUMBONUS to get pound50 risk free

Click here to go to Sporting Bet

Sky Bet

Sky Bets Euro 2012 free bet offer isnt just risk free but it also require no deposit Simply register an account with the firm and they will credit your account with pound10 which can be wagered on whatever market you wish No risk no deposit just free money

Click here to go to Sky Bet

Coral

Coral have a number of money back specials throughout Euro 2012 and they are also offering all new customers a pound50 free bet when they register an account Simply sign-up with the firm and make a first deposit and Coral will credit your account with a free bet of the same value up to a maximum of pound50

Click here to go to Coral

Betfred

Betfred is known as the Bonus King and its therefore no surprise that the firm will have a number of promotions and money back specials running throughout Euro 2012 Not only will they be continuing their popular Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven promotion throughout the tournament but they will also have player specific First Goalscorer money back offers running on every match Bettingpro customers who dont already have a Betfred can claim a free pound50 bet to use on Euro 2012 when they register with the firm using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS

Click here to go to Betfred

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 5

The 7 Best Euro 2012 Bookmaker PromotionsEuro 2012 starts on Friday 8 June and we have collated the seven best promotions for the European Championship

Euro 2012 is a big deal in the betting world with more people than ever looking to place a bet or three on the European Championship especially with England involved this time around

Itrsquos therefore only natural that the bookies are scrapping over who gets the largest share of the pie as far as customers placing bets are concerned and the operators have come up with some beauties when it comes to Euro 2012 promotions

Here are the Bettingpro top 7 promotions for Euro 2012

1 BetVictor - pound100 free bets and Spain cashback

Nothing quite comes close to BetVictorrsquos offer to refund losing outright bets (up to pound50) if Spain win Euro 2012 with Vicente del Bosquersquos team looking to land their third consecutive victory in a major tournament Good luck with trying to get Spain beaten Victor

New customers can qualify for an exclusive pound100 in free bets when they open a BetVictor account through Bettingprocom which is pretty generous

2 Ladbrokes - pound75 free bet and Golden Boot pound5 bonuses

The Magic Sign have been super creative with their Euro 2012 offering Bet pound20 on Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer and yoursquoll get a pound5 free bet every time your player scores a goal

If you havenrsquot yet opened an account with Ladbrokes text MAX to 86131 and you can claim a whopping pound75 free bet on Euro 2012

3 Paddy Power ndash money back on England v France and Ireland v Croatia

Paddy were always going to come up with the goods and you will get all losing First Goalscorer Last Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

4 Boylesports ndash 3 money back offers + pound40 in free bets

Boylesports have three Euro 2012 pearlers including Donrsquot Pay the Penalty which will see them refund losing outright bets on any team that are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out

Boyles will also refund losing First Last amp Anytime Goalscorer bets on any Ireland game if Ireland score a goal () while you will get First Goalscorer cashback on any Euro 2012 match if your player scores second

You can also claim a pound40 free bet with Boylesports by texting MAX to 51500

5 Bet365 ndash bore draw money back unlimited goalscorers and pound200 free bets

Bet365 have confirmed they will refund First Last and Anytime Goalscorer bets for every Euro 2012 game that ends in a 0-0 draw as well as Correct Score and Half-Time Full-Time

You can get unlimited each-way terms on First Goalscorer for every match and bet365rsquos pound200 free bet balance remains the most generous new customer offer

6 Sportingbet ndash 50 bonus winnings on Euro 2012 Multiples + pound50 risk-free bet

Wersquore liking the fact that Sportingbet will boost your winnings by 50 if you place a successful four-fold on the Euro 2012 group winners Especially as yoursquoll get a free consolation bet if one selection lets you down There is also a tasty pound50 risk-free bet for new customers

7 Sky Bet - pound10 no deposit free bet on Euro 2012 plus a pound50 matched bet

Sky Bet are the only bookmaker to offer new customers a free bet without making a deposit and that will see people flocking to their site in the coming days If you sign-up at Bettingprocom you will also get a 100 matched free bet (up to pound50) when you make your first deposit Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 6

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 ChampionsClaim13 here

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 3: Euro 2012 betting guide

Introduction

The wait is almost over and Euro 2012 is just days away Itrsquos time to start thinking about placing a few bets on the tournament and making the most of a staggering number of free bets betting markets and cash back specials on offer at leading bookmakers online

The old favourites such as tournament winner top goal scorer and bets on who will win each group of course are the most popular and there is certainly value to be found on these markets but there are also a number of lsquospecialrsquo bets available ranging from the stage at which each team will exit to who will score the most goals and which the club will provide the top goal scorer over in Poland and Ukraine

Bettingprocomrsquos team of writers have analysed every single market available on Euro 2012 and in this extensive guide we will aim to provide you not only with all of our tips and best bets on the tournament but also with all of the information you need to help you make your own selections

There are profiles for each of the 16 nations competing in Poland and Ukraine along with tips on how to make a profit betting on each In addition to this we have included a number of lsquofeature articlesrsquo written by our team of experts with their tips and recommendations on all aspects of Euro 2012 betting

There will inevitably be some conflict of opinions amongst our writers ndash not least on the chances of Roy Hodgsonrsquos England team ndash but hopefully the arguments can serve as a guide to help you make fully formed decisions on the important issues not least who will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy on July 1st in Kiev

As with any betting there is of course risk involved and Bettingprocom accepts no responsibility for any losses incurred during Euro 2012 We have compiled this book as a guide to help you with your betting These are after all only our opinions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 2

Fixtures - Group Stages

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 3

Fixtures - Knockout Phase

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 4

Euro 2012 Free Bets GuideThere are a whole host of bookmakers offering free bets on Euro 2012 Heres a guide to the best currently available

Euro 2012 begins on June 8th and already the bookmakers are gearing up for the tournament with a number of firms already running money back specials on the outright markets Bet Victor are refunding all losing bets if Spain win Euro 2012 while Boylesports will refund bets if your selection is knocked out in penalties

As well as these offers there are also a whole range of free bets available for those who havent already opened accounts with the major betting firms including some that are exclusive to Bettingpro readers Heres a selection of the best offers from the biggest bookmakers

bet365

bet365 are arguably the biggest name in online betting and they have one of the biggest welcome bonuses for new customers If you register an account using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS then the firm will match your first deposit with a 100 free bet to a maximum value of pound200

Click here to go to bet365

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes are probably the best known bookmaker in the world and the Magic Sign have a fantastic sign-up offer for new accounts Simply register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and theyll give you a free bet up to the value of pound50 Ladbrokes will also be running a range of match promotions and enhanced prices throughout Euro 2012

Click here to go to Ladbrokes

Paddy Power

Bettingpro readers can get an exclusive welcome bonus worth up to pound250 when they register a new account with Paddy Power in time for Euro 2012 Make an initial deposit of up to pound50 and Paddy will match it with a pound50 free bet and he will do the same for the next four bets of up to pound50

Click here to go to Paddy Power

Boylesports

Boylesports currently offer the best welcome bonus for Bettingpro readers who want to play with smaller stakes If you register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and

make a deposit of pound20 then the Irish firm will give you a pound40 free bet to use on the Euro 2012 market of your choice Thats a 200 bonus

Click here to go to Boylesports

Sporting Bet

Sporting Bet have rolled out a risk free offer for Euro 2012 Simply register a new account with the firm and place your first bet If it wins then you win but if it loses then Sporting Bet will refund your stake up to a maximum of pound50 Register using the Sporting Bet promotion code MAXIMUMBONUS to get pound50 risk free

Click here to go to Sporting Bet

Sky Bet

Sky Bets Euro 2012 free bet offer isnt just risk free but it also require no deposit Simply register an account with the firm and they will credit your account with pound10 which can be wagered on whatever market you wish No risk no deposit just free money

Click here to go to Sky Bet

Coral

Coral have a number of money back specials throughout Euro 2012 and they are also offering all new customers a pound50 free bet when they register an account Simply sign-up with the firm and make a first deposit and Coral will credit your account with a free bet of the same value up to a maximum of pound50

Click here to go to Coral

Betfred

Betfred is known as the Bonus King and its therefore no surprise that the firm will have a number of promotions and money back specials running throughout Euro 2012 Not only will they be continuing their popular Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven promotion throughout the tournament but they will also have player specific First Goalscorer money back offers running on every match Bettingpro customers who dont already have a Betfred can claim a free pound50 bet to use on Euro 2012 when they register with the firm using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS

Click here to go to Betfred

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 5

The 7 Best Euro 2012 Bookmaker PromotionsEuro 2012 starts on Friday 8 June and we have collated the seven best promotions for the European Championship

Euro 2012 is a big deal in the betting world with more people than ever looking to place a bet or three on the European Championship especially with England involved this time around

Itrsquos therefore only natural that the bookies are scrapping over who gets the largest share of the pie as far as customers placing bets are concerned and the operators have come up with some beauties when it comes to Euro 2012 promotions

Here are the Bettingpro top 7 promotions for Euro 2012

1 BetVictor - pound100 free bets and Spain cashback

Nothing quite comes close to BetVictorrsquos offer to refund losing outright bets (up to pound50) if Spain win Euro 2012 with Vicente del Bosquersquos team looking to land their third consecutive victory in a major tournament Good luck with trying to get Spain beaten Victor

New customers can qualify for an exclusive pound100 in free bets when they open a BetVictor account through Bettingprocom which is pretty generous

2 Ladbrokes - pound75 free bet and Golden Boot pound5 bonuses

The Magic Sign have been super creative with their Euro 2012 offering Bet pound20 on Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer and yoursquoll get a pound5 free bet every time your player scores a goal

If you havenrsquot yet opened an account with Ladbrokes text MAX to 86131 and you can claim a whopping pound75 free bet on Euro 2012

3 Paddy Power ndash money back on England v France and Ireland v Croatia

Paddy were always going to come up with the goods and you will get all losing First Goalscorer Last Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

4 Boylesports ndash 3 money back offers + pound40 in free bets

Boylesports have three Euro 2012 pearlers including Donrsquot Pay the Penalty which will see them refund losing outright bets on any team that are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out

Boyles will also refund losing First Last amp Anytime Goalscorer bets on any Ireland game if Ireland score a goal () while you will get First Goalscorer cashback on any Euro 2012 match if your player scores second

You can also claim a pound40 free bet with Boylesports by texting MAX to 51500

5 Bet365 ndash bore draw money back unlimited goalscorers and pound200 free bets

Bet365 have confirmed they will refund First Last and Anytime Goalscorer bets for every Euro 2012 game that ends in a 0-0 draw as well as Correct Score and Half-Time Full-Time

You can get unlimited each-way terms on First Goalscorer for every match and bet365rsquos pound200 free bet balance remains the most generous new customer offer

6 Sportingbet ndash 50 bonus winnings on Euro 2012 Multiples + pound50 risk-free bet

Wersquore liking the fact that Sportingbet will boost your winnings by 50 if you place a successful four-fold on the Euro 2012 group winners Especially as yoursquoll get a free consolation bet if one selection lets you down There is also a tasty pound50 risk-free bet for new customers

7 Sky Bet - pound10 no deposit free bet on Euro 2012 plus a pound50 matched bet

Sky Bet are the only bookmaker to offer new customers a free bet without making a deposit and that will see people flocking to their site in the coming days If you sign-up at Bettingprocom you will also get a 100 matched free bet (up to pound50) when you make your first deposit Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 6

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 ChampionsClaim13 here

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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4 Privacy Policy

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 4: Euro 2012 betting guide

Fixtures - Group Stages

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 3

Fixtures - Knockout Phase

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 4

Euro 2012 Free Bets GuideThere are a whole host of bookmakers offering free bets on Euro 2012 Heres a guide to the best currently available

Euro 2012 begins on June 8th and already the bookmakers are gearing up for the tournament with a number of firms already running money back specials on the outright markets Bet Victor are refunding all losing bets if Spain win Euro 2012 while Boylesports will refund bets if your selection is knocked out in penalties

As well as these offers there are also a whole range of free bets available for those who havent already opened accounts with the major betting firms including some that are exclusive to Bettingpro readers Heres a selection of the best offers from the biggest bookmakers

bet365

bet365 are arguably the biggest name in online betting and they have one of the biggest welcome bonuses for new customers If you register an account using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS then the firm will match your first deposit with a 100 free bet to a maximum value of pound200

Click here to go to bet365

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes are probably the best known bookmaker in the world and the Magic Sign have a fantastic sign-up offer for new accounts Simply register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and theyll give you a free bet up to the value of pound50 Ladbrokes will also be running a range of match promotions and enhanced prices throughout Euro 2012

Click here to go to Ladbrokes

Paddy Power

Bettingpro readers can get an exclusive welcome bonus worth up to pound250 when they register a new account with Paddy Power in time for Euro 2012 Make an initial deposit of up to pound50 and Paddy will match it with a pound50 free bet and he will do the same for the next four bets of up to pound50

Click here to go to Paddy Power

Boylesports

Boylesports currently offer the best welcome bonus for Bettingpro readers who want to play with smaller stakes If you register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and

make a deposit of pound20 then the Irish firm will give you a pound40 free bet to use on the Euro 2012 market of your choice Thats a 200 bonus

Click here to go to Boylesports

Sporting Bet

Sporting Bet have rolled out a risk free offer for Euro 2012 Simply register a new account with the firm and place your first bet If it wins then you win but if it loses then Sporting Bet will refund your stake up to a maximum of pound50 Register using the Sporting Bet promotion code MAXIMUMBONUS to get pound50 risk free

Click here to go to Sporting Bet

Sky Bet

Sky Bets Euro 2012 free bet offer isnt just risk free but it also require no deposit Simply register an account with the firm and they will credit your account with pound10 which can be wagered on whatever market you wish No risk no deposit just free money

Click here to go to Sky Bet

Coral

Coral have a number of money back specials throughout Euro 2012 and they are also offering all new customers a pound50 free bet when they register an account Simply sign-up with the firm and make a first deposit and Coral will credit your account with a free bet of the same value up to a maximum of pound50

Click here to go to Coral

Betfred

Betfred is known as the Bonus King and its therefore no surprise that the firm will have a number of promotions and money back specials running throughout Euro 2012 Not only will they be continuing their popular Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven promotion throughout the tournament but they will also have player specific First Goalscorer money back offers running on every match Bettingpro customers who dont already have a Betfred can claim a free pound50 bet to use on Euro 2012 when they register with the firm using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS

Click here to go to Betfred

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 5

The 7 Best Euro 2012 Bookmaker PromotionsEuro 2012 starts on Friday 8 June and we have collated the seven best promotions for the European Championship

Euro 2012 is a big deal in the betting world with more people than ever looking to place a bet or three on the European Championship especially with England involved this time around

Itrsquos therefore only natural that the bookies are scrapping over who gets the largest share of the pie as far as customers placing bets are concerned and the operators have come up with some beauties when it comes to Euro 2012 promotions

Here are the Bettingpro top 7 promotions for Euro 2012

1 BetVictor - pound100 free bets and Spain cashback

Nothing quite comes close to BetVictorrsquos offer to refund losing outright bets (up to pound50) if Spain win Euro 2012 with Vicente del Bosquersquos team looking to land their third consecutive victory in a major tournament Good luck with trying to get Spain beaten Victor

New customers can qualify for an exclusive pound100 in free bets when they open a BetVictor account through Bettingprocom which is pretty generous

2 Ladbrokes - pound75 free bet and Golden Boot pound5 bonuses

The Magic Sign have been super creative with their Euro 2012 offering Bet pound20 on Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer and yoursquoll get a pound5 free bet every time your player scores a goal

If you havenrsquot yet opened an account with Ladbrokes text MAX to 86131 and you can claim a whopping pound75 free bet on Euro 2012

3 Paddy Power ndash money back on England v France and Ireland v Croatia

Paddy were always going to come up with the goods and you will get all losing First Goalscorer Last Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

4 Boylesports ndash 3 money back offers + pound40 in free bets

Boylesports have three Euro 2012 pearlers including Donrsquot Pay the Penalty which will see them refund losing outright bets on any team that are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out

Boyles will also refund losing First Last amp Anytime Goalscorer bets on any Ireland game if Ireland score a goal () while you will get First Goalscorer cashback on any Euro 2012 match if your player scores second

You can also claim a pound40 free bet with Boylesports by texting MAX to 51500

5 Bet365 ndash bore draw money back unlimited goalscorers and pound200 free bets

Bet365 have confirmed they will refund First Last and Anytime Goalscorer bets for every Euro 2012 game that ends in a 0-0 draw as well as Correct Score and Half-Time Full-Time

You can get unlimited each-way terms on First Goalscorer for every match and bet365rsquos pound200 free bet balance remains the most generous new customer offer

6 Sportingbet ndash 50 bonus winnings on Euro 2012 Multiples + pound50 risk-free bet

Wersquore liking the fact that Sportingbet will boost your winnings by 50 if you place a successful four-fold on the Euro 2012 group winners Especially as yoursquoll get a free consolation bet if one selection lets you down There is also a tasty pound50 risk-free bet for new customers

7 Sky Bet - pound10 no deposit free bet on Euro 2012 plus a pound50 matched bet

Sky Bet are the only bookmaker to offer new customers a free bet without making a deposit and that will see people flocking to their site in the coming days If you sign-up at Bettingprocom you will also get a 100 matched free bet (up to pound50) when you make your first deposit Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 6

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 ChampionsClaim13 here

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 5: Euro 2012 betting guide

Fixtures - Knockout Phase

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 4

Euro 2012 Free Bets GuideThere are a whole host of bookmakers offering free bets on Euro 2012 Heres a guide to the best currently available

Euro 2012 begins on June 8th and already the bookmakers are gearing up for the tournament with a number of firms already running money back specials on the outright markets Bet Victor are refunding all losing bets if Spain win Euro 2012 while Boylesports will refund bets if your selection is knocked out in penalties

As well as these offers there are also a whole range of free bets available for those who havent already opened accounts with the major betting firms including some that are exclusive to Bettingpro readers Heres a selection of the best offers from the biggest bookmakers

bet365

bet365 are arguably the biggest name in online betting and they have one of the biggest welcome bonuses for new customers If you register an account using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS then the firm will match your first deposit with a 100 free bet to a maximum value of pound200

Click here to go to bet365

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes are probably the best known bookmaker in the world and the Magic Sign have a fantastic sign-up offer for new accounts Simply register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and theyll give you a free bet up to the value of pound50 Ladbrokes will also be running a range of match promotions and enhanced prices throughout Euro 2012

Click here to go to Ladbrokes

Paddy Power

Bettingpro readers can get an exclusive welcome bonus worth up to pound250 when they register a new account with Paddy Power in time for Euro 2012 Make an initial deposit of up to pound50 and Paddy will match it with a pound50 free bet and he will do the same for the next four bets of up to pound50

Click here to go to Paddy Power

Boylesports

Boylesports currently offer the best welcome bonus for Bettingpro readers who want to play with smaller stakes If you register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and

make a deposit of pound20 then the Irish firm will give you a pound40 free bet to use on the Euro 2012 market of your choice Thats a 200 bonus

Click here to go to Boylesports

Sporting Bet

Sporting Bet have rolled out a risk free offer for Euro 2012 Simply register a new account with the firm and place your first bet If it wins then you win but if it loses then Sporting Bet will refund your stake up to a maximum of pound50 Register using the Sporting Bet promotion code MAXIMUMBONUS to get pound50 risk free

Click here to go to Sporting Bet

Sky Bet

Sky Bets Euro 2012 free bet offer isnt just risk free but it also require no deposit Simply register an account with the firm and they will credit your account with pound10 which can be wagered on whatever market you wish No risk no deposit just free money

Click here to go to Sky Bet

Coral

Coral have a number of money back specials throughout Euro 2012 and they are also offering all new customers a pound50 free bet when they register an account Simply sign-up with the firm and make a first deposit and Coral will credit your account with a free bet of the same value up to a maximum of pound50

Click here to go to Coral

Betfred

Betfred is known as the Bonus King and its therefore no surprise that the firm will have a number of promotions and money back specials running throughout Euro 2012 Not only will they be continuing their popular Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven promotion throughout the tournament but they will also have player specific First Goalscorer money back offers running on every match Bettingpro customers who dont already have a Betfred can claim a free pound50 bet to use on Euro 2012 when they register with the firm using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS

Click here to go to Betfred

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 5

The 7 Best Euro 2012 Bookmaker PromotionsEuro 2012 starts on Friday 8 June and we have collated the seven best promotions for the European Championship

Euro 2012 is a big deal in the betting world with more people than ever looking to place a bet or three on the European Championship especially with England involved this time around

Itrsquos therefore only natural that the bookies are scrapping over who gets the largest share of the pie as far as customers placing bets are concerned and the operators have come up with some beauties when it comes to Euro 2012 promotions

Here are the Bettingpro top 7 promotions for Euro 2012

1 BetVictor - pound100 free bets and Spain cashback

Nothing quite comes close to BetVictorrsquos offer to refund losing outright bets (up to pound50) if Spain win Euro 2012 with Vicente del Bosquersquos team looking to land their third consecutive victory in a major tournament Good luck with trying to get Spain beaten Victor

New customers can qualify for an exclusive pound100 in free bets when they open a BetVictor account through Bettingprocom which is pretty generous

2 Ladbrokes - pound75 free bet and Golden Boot pound5 bonuses

The Magic Sign have been super creative with their Euro 2012 offering Bet pound20 on Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer and yoursquoll get a pound5 free bet every time your player scores a goal

If you havenrsquot yet opened an account with Ladbrokes text MAX to 86131 and you can claim a whopping pound75 free bet on Euro 2012

3 Paddy Power ndash money back on England v France and Ireland v Croatia

Paddy were always going to come up with the goods and you will get all losing First Goalscorer Last Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

4 Boylesports ndash 3 money back offers + pound40 in free bets

Boylesports have three Euro 2012 pearlers including Donrsquot Pay the Penalty which will see them refund losing outright bets on any team that are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out

Boyles will also refund losing First Last amp Anytime Goalscorer bets on any Ireland game if Ireland score a goal () while you will get First Goalscorer cashback on any Euro 2012 match if your player scores second

You can also claim a pound40 free bet with Boylesports by texting MAX to 51500

5 Bet365 ndash bore draw money back unlimited goalscorers and pound200 free bets

Bet365 have confirmed they will refund First Last and Anytime Goalscorer bets for every Euro 2012 game that ends in a 0-0 draw as well as Correct Score and Half-Time Full-Time

You can get unlimited each-way terms on First Goalscorer for every match and bet365rsquos pound200 free bet balance remains the most generous new customer offer

6 Sportingbet ndash 50 bonus winnings on Euro 2012 Multiples + pound50 risk-free bet

Wersquore liking the fact that Sportingbet will boost your winnings by 50 if you place a successful four-fold on the Euro 2012 group winners Especially as yoursquoll get a free consolation bet if one selection lets you down There is also a tasty pound50 risk-free bet for new customers

7 Sky Bet - pound10 no deposit free bet on Euro 2012 plus a pound50 matched bet

Sky Bet are the only bookmaker to offer new customers a free bet without making a deposit and that will see people flocking to their site in the coming days If you sign-up at Bettingprocom you will also get a 100 matched free bet (up to pound50) when you make your first deposit Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 6

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 ChampionsClaim13 here

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

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otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

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6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 6: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Free Bets GuideThere are a whole host of bookmakers offering free bets on Euro 2012 Heres a guide to the best currently available

Euro 2012 begins on June 8th and already the bookmakers are gearing up for the tournament with a number of firms already running money back specials on the outright markets Bet Victor are refunding all losing bets if Spain win Euro 2012 while Boylesports will refund bets if your selection is knocked out in penalties

As well as these offers there are also a whole range of free bets available for those who havent already opened accounts with the major betting firms including some that are exclusive to Bettingpro readers Heres a selection of the best offers from the biggest bookmakers

bet365

bet365 are arguably the biggest name in online betting and they have one of the biggest welcome bonuses for new customers If you register an account using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS then the firm will match your first deposit with a 100 free bet to a maximum value of pound200

Click here to go to bet365

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes are probably the best known bookmaker in the world and the Magic Sign have a fantastic sign-up offer for new accounts Simply register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and theyll give you a free bet up to the value of pound50 Ladbrokes will also be running a range of match promotions and enhanced prices throughout Euro 2012

Click here to go to Ladbrokes

Paddy Power

Bettingpro readers can get an exclusive welcome bonus worth up to pound250 when they register a new account with Paddy Power in time for Euro 2012 Make an initial deposit of up to pound50 and Paddy will match it with a pound50 free bet and he will do the same for the next four bets of up to pound50

Click here to go to Paddy Power

Boylesports

Boylesports currently offer the best welcome bonus for Bettingpro readers who want to play with smaller stakes If you register using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and

make a deposit of pound20 then the Irish firm will give you a pound40 free bet to use on the Euro 2012 market of your choice Thats a 200 bonus

Click here to go to Boylesports

Sporting Bet

Sporting Bet have rolled out a risk free offer for Euro 2012 Simply register a new account with the firm and place your first bet If it wins then you win but if it loses then Sporting Bet will refund your stake up to a maximum of pound50 Register using the Sporting Bet promotion code MAXIMUMBONUS to get pound50 risk free

Click here to go to Sporting Bet

Sky Bet

Sky Bets Euro 2012 free bet offer isnt just risk free but it also require no deposit Simply register an account with the firm and they will credit your account with pound10 which can be wagered on whatever market you wish No risk no deposit just free money

Click here to go to Sky Bet

Coral

Coral have a number of money back specials throughout Euro 2012 and they are also offering all new customers a pound50 free bet when they register an account Simply sign-up with the firm and make a first deposit and Coral will credit your account with a free bet of the same value up to a maximum of pound50

Click here to go to Coral

Betfred

Betfred is known as the Bonus King and its therefore no surprise that the firm will have a number of promotions and money back specials running throughout Euro 2012 Not only will they be continuing their popular Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven promotion throughout the tournament but they will also have player specific First Goalscorer money back offers running on every match Bettingpro customers who dont already have a Betfred can claim a free pound50 bet to use on Euro 2012 when they register with the firm using bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS

Click here to go to Betfred

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 5

The 7 Best Euro 2012 Bookmaker PromotionsEuro 2012 starts on Friday 8 June and we have collated the seven best promotions for the European Championship

Euro 2012 is a big deal in the betting world with more people than ever looking to place a bet or three on the European Championship especially with England involved this time around

Itrsquos therefore only natural that the bookies are scrapping over who gets the largest share of the pie as far as customers placing bets are concerned and the operators have come up with some beauties when it comes to Euro 2012 promotions

Here are the Bettingpro top 7 promotions for Euro 2012

1 BetVictor - pound100 free bets and Spain cashback

Nothing quite comes close to BetVictorrsquos offer to refund losing outright bets (up to pound50) if Spain win Euro 2012 with Vicente del Bosquersquos team looking to land their third consecutive victory in a major tournament Good luck with trying to get Spain beaten Victor

New customers can qualify for an exclusive pound100 in free bets when they open a BetVictor account through Bettingprocom which is pretty generous

2 Ladbrokes - pound75 free bet and Golden Boot pound5 bonuses

The Magic Sign have been super creative with their Euro 2012 offering Bet pound20 on Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer and yoursquoll get a pound5 free bet every time your player scores a goal

If you havenrsquot yet opened an account with Ladbrokes text MAX to 86131 and you can claim a whopping pound75 free bet on Euro 2012

3 Paddy Power ndash money back on England v France and Ireland v Croatia

Paddy were always going to come up with the goods and you will get all losing First Goalscorer Last Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

4 Boylesports ndash 3 money back offers + pound40 in free bets

Boylesports have three Euro 2012 pearlers including Donrsquot Pay the Penalty which will see them refund losing outright bets on any team that are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out

Boyles will also refund losing First Last amp Anytime Goalscorer bets on any Ireland game if Ireland score a goal () while you will get First Goalscorer cashback on any Euro 2012 match if your player scores second

You can also claim a pound40 free bet with Boylesports by texting MAX to 51500

5 Bet365 ndash bore draw money back unlimited goalscorers and pound200 free bets

Bet365 have confirmed they will refund First Last and Anytime Goalscorer bets for every Euro 2012 game that ends in a 0-0 draw as well as Correct Score and Half-Time Full-Time

You can get unlimited each-way terms on First Goalscorer for every match and bet365rsquos pound200 free bet balance remains the most generous new customer offer

6 Sportingbet ndash 50 bonus winnings on Euro 2012 Multiples + pound50 risk-free bet

Wersquore liking the fact that Sportingbet will boost your winnings by 50 if you place a successful four-fold on the Euro 2012 group winners Especially as yoursquoll get a free consolation bet if one selection lets you down There is also a tasty pound50 risk-free bet for new customers

7 Sky Bet - pound10 no deposit free bet on Euro 2012 plus a pound50 matched bet

Sky Bet are the only bookmaker to offer new customers a free bet without making a deposit and that will see people flocking to their site in the coming days If you sign-up at Bettingprocom you will also get a 100 matched free bet (up to pound50) when you make your first deposit Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 6

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 ChampionsClaim13 here

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

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We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

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YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 7: Euro 2012 betting guide

The 7 Best Euro 2012 Bookmaker PromotionsEuro 2012 starts on Friday 8 June and we have collated the seven best promotions for the European Championship

Euro 2012 is a big deal in the betting world with more people than ever looking to place a bet or three on the European Championship especially with England involved this time around

Itrsquos therefore only natural that the bookies are scrapping over who gets the largest share of the pie as far as customers placing bets are concerned and the operators have come up with some beauties when it comes to Euro 2012 promotions

Here are the Bettingpro top 7 promotions for Euro 2012

1 BetVictor - pound100 free bets and Spain cashback

Nothing quite comes close to BetVictorrsquos offer to refund losing outright bets (up to pound50) if Spain win Euro 2012 with Vicente del Bosquersquos team looking to land their third consecutive victory in a major tournament Good luck with trying to get Spain beaten Victor

New customers can qualify for an exclusive pound100 in free bets when they open a BetVictor account through Bettingprocom which is pretty generous

2 Ladbrokes - pound75 free bet and Golden Boot pound5 bonuses

The Magic Sign have been super creative with their Euro 2012 offering Bet pound20 on Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer and yoursquoll get a pound5 free bet every time your player scores a goal

If you havenrsquot yet opened an account with Ladbrokes text MAX to 86131 and you can claim a whopping pound75 free bet on Euro 2012

3 Paddy Power ndash money back on England v France and Ireland v Croatia

Paddy were always going to come up with the goods and you will get all losing First Goalscorer Last Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

4 Boylesports ndash 3 money back offers + pound40 in free bets

Boylesports have three Euro 2012 pearlers including Donrsquot Pay the Penalty which will see them refund losing outright bets on any team that are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out

Boyles will also refund losing First Last amp Anytime Goalscorer bets on any Ireland game if Ireland score a goal () while you will get First Goalscorer cashback on any Euro 2012 match if your player scores second

You can also claim a pound40 free bet with Boylesports by texting MAX to 51500

5 Bet365 ndash bore draw money back unlimited goalscorers and pound200 free bets

Bet365 have confirmed they will refund First Last and Anytime Goalscorer bets for every Euro 2012 game that ends in a 0-0 draw as well as Correct Score and Half-Time Full-Time

You can get unlimited each-way terms on First Goalscorer for every match and bet365rsquos pound200 free bet balance remains the most generous new customer offer

6 Sportingbet ndash 50 bonus winnings on Euro 2012 Multiples + pound50 risk-free bet

Wersquore liking the fact that Sportingbet will boost your winnings by 50 if you place a successful four-fold on the Euro 2012 group winners Especially as yoursquoll get a free consolation bet if one selection lets you down There is also a tasty pound50 risk-free bet for new customers

7 Sky Bet - pound10 no deposit free bet on Euro 2012 plus a pound50 matched bet

Sky Bet are the only bookmaker to offer new customers a free bet without making a deposit and that will see people flocking to their site in the coming days If you sign-up at Bettingprocom you will also get a 100 matched free bet (up to pound50) when you make your first deposit Goalscorer Correct Score amp Scorecast singles refunded on the England or Ireland match if either of these teams beat France and Croatia respectively

Therersquos also the small matter of pound250 in free bets if you register through Bettingprocom

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 6

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 ChampionsClaim13 here

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

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This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 8: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Winner Betting Tips France and Russia best outright bets France and Russia both have easy groups at Euro 2012 and should be backed at tasty prices to win the tournament

Spain and Germany may well contest the European Championship final on 1 July although there really isnrsquot much value backing either of these teams to win Euro 2012 considering we are talking about a cup competition between some fairly evenly-matched teams

BetVictor offer an incentive to back the Germans at 114 based on their Spain cashback offer although we really should look beyond the front two in the betting when it comes to finding a team who will be fighting over the trophy in Kiev

As for Spain they might well claim a third consecutive victory at a major tournament although the absence of David Villa is a big negative and the decision to leave out Roberto Soldado was a puzzling one

The Netherlands are third in the betting at 71 (Paddy Power) and that is largely based on their 2010 World Cup appearance and the fact they are flat-track bullies against weaker teams in qualification especially with an artillery which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie Coach Bert van Marwijk is as defensive as they come and that will be in evidence for all three Group B matches

However our main pick on the Euro 2012 outright market is FRANCE at odds of 121 with bet365 They have been drawn in a modest Group D which features England Sweden and Ukraine something which will have pleased Laurent Blanc especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended for the opener on 11 June

We shouldnrsquot read too much into their 3-2 win against Iceland last week but instead consider that there is a nice blend of experience and youth in each department with Yohan Cabaye and Alou Diarra acting as midfield anchormen thus allowing the likes of Florent Malouda Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery to get forward in support of Karim Benzema

Defensively the French are pretty solid having conceded just four goals in their ten qualifying matches and Blanc has demanded the respect of his squad following on from the national disgrace that occurred under Raymond Domenech two years ago

The other team worth backing is RUSSIA at odds of 251 which is quite frankly a massive price when you consider they are favourites to win Group A while Portugal are third-favourites to win Group B but are trading at a shorter price on the outright market

Russia reached the semi-final of Euro 2008 in a tournament which effectively earned Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively While the transfers didnrsquot work out for either player both can make an impact for Dick Advocaatrsquos men and a potential quarter final against the Dutch or Portuguese wonrsquot faze the Russians

Once again we can point to a tight defence and while Russia lack an experienced goalkeeper for this tournament they have an abundance of firepower thanks to Arshavin playing behind either Pavlyuchenko Pogrebnyak or Kerzhakov

Poland are one of the two teams that didnrsquot qualify for the tournament with Greece and Czech Republic coming through easy sections and we just canrsquot ignore the shining beacon that is the 251 about Russia doing the business

RECOMMENDATIONSFrance 5 points 121 with Paddy PowerRussia 2 points 251 with bet365 shorter price on the outright market

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 7

Get13 poundeuro20013 free13 to13 bet13 on13 bet365com13 -shy‐13 Bet13 herepoundeuro25013 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Paddy13 Power13 -shy‐13 Claim13 here

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

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11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 9: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Betting Tips - Donrsquot Doubt the DutchBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty explains why he thinks that the Netherlands will be lifting the Henry Delaunay trophy in lsquoPolkrainersquo this summer

Spain are the host favourites to win this summerrsquos European Championships and it is easy to see why Vicente Del Bosquersquos side are the World and European champions and go into Euro 2012 on the back of a 100 record in qualifying They are also almost entirely made up of Barcelona and Real Madrid players The Spanish giants are without a doubt the two best club sides in the world and the fact that one of the two will almost certainly win the Champions League is a massive boost to Spainrsquos credentials

However at odds of 114 with Ladbrokes Spain look too short on the outright market for Euro 2012 They may have qualified in style but they had a very easy group and were still pushed close in games by Scotland and Lithuania They may have beaten those two but it was hardly convincing

Then there is the problem of who to play in attack David Villarsquos broken leg may keep him out of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland and if the Barcelona striker is absent then Spainrsquos attack is severely diminished Villa is his countryrsquos record goalscorer and has established close relationships with the rest of the squad He also plays in the same Barcelona side as Xavi Andres Iniesta Sergio Busquets and Pedro ndash no other international striker in the world can offer this kind of understanding with his supporting cast

Fernando Torres certainly isnrsquot the answer with the Chelsea striker goal-less for over half a season at club level and hasnrsquot found the net for Spain since June He has fallen behind both Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order but neither of those players is proven at international level

If Spain are to be opposed then so too are Italy and France who can both be backed at 141 with Bet Victor and England who are now out to 161 at

Ladbrokes The first two are going through a transition period at the moment and are attempting to play football in the Spanish style but they lack the ball-retention abilities of Xavi and Iniesta and the craft and England are not even on the same level as France and Italy They donrsquot pass the ball often enough and there is still too much of a lsquochip and chargersquo mentality with the focus being on big defenders and midfielders who can tackle and run up and down the pitch all day rather than technical ability This style may have worked for Greece in 2004 but football has progressed since then and being able to have the ball more than your opponents is crucial as Stoke City are starting to find out this season

That leaves the 2008 European Championship runners-up Germany who are 72 at Coral and the 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands who can be backed at 152 with the same firm Preference is for the latter simply based on odds as there is no way that Bert Van Marwijkrsquos side who blitzed their qualifying group have only half as much of a chance as the Germans

Germany were also excellent in qualification and the form for Bayern Munich of Mario Gomez Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos plus the consistent excellence of Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid means that they have one of the most formidable attacks at the tournament Bayern are however being over-rated by many because of their win over Manchester City in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund who won the Bundesliga were miserable in the same competition despite a predominantly home based squad

There are also serious question marks over Germanyrsquos defence which is led by the hapless Per Mertesacker The Arsenal centre-back looks out of his depth playing in the Premier League and the idea of the 27-year-old marshalling a back four to Euro 2012 glory is laughable An organised team that can break well can punish Germany and that is exactly what Netherlands are

``

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 8

` Get13 a13 pound5013 free13 bet13 from13 Coral13 to13 back13 Netherlands13 to13 win13 at13 152

Click13 here

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 10: Euro 2012 betting guide

Top Goalscorer Market Euro 2012Past winnersEuro 2008 ndash David Villa ndash Spain (4 goals)Euro 2004 ndash Milan Baros ndash Czech Republic (5 goals)Euro 2000 ndash Savo Milošević (Serbia) Patrick Kluivert ndash Holland (5 goals)Euro 1996 ndash Alan Shearer ndash England (5 goals)

One of the most popular betting markets of any major football tournament is the top goalscorer market and from speaking to the various bookmakers Euro 2012 is no different

Top of the market is Germany striker Mario Gomez who is top price 91 with BetVictor The Bayern Munich forward has had a fantastic goal scoring season with his club finding the back of the net an incredible 40 times in 47 games

Next of the list is Netherlandrsquos Robin Van Persie Like Gomez Van Persie has been breaking records with his phenomenal season with Arsenal The Dutchman is as big as 111 with Blue Square to follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner David Villa

The bookmakers have seen a lot of money coming on the next superstar ndash arguably the second best player in the world ndash Portugalrsquos Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid forward and captain of his national side at Euro 2012 is 141 with Boylesports This price would be considerable shorter only Portugal are in the so-called ldquoGroup of Deathrdquo with Germany and Netherlands

Ronaldorsquos club colleague Frenchman Karim Benzema is in the market at 161 with Paddy Power while Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ndash a surprise pick for Spain by many considering his form this season ndash is 181 with 888Sport

Elsewhere in the market the top goalscorer in qualifying for Poland and Ukraine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is terrific value with Paddy Power at 181 If you do fancy Wayne Rooney to claim the golden boot he is a massive 401 with Stan James with the English man suspended for the first two group games

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

If you do think the controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli can continue to be in the headlines for all the right reasons you can back the Manchester City forward at 281 with Blue Square

Group A may just bring some value to punters with co-hosts hero Robert Lewandowski being continually backed all week The Polish striker ndash 251 with Betfred ndash will face Russia Czech Republic and Greece during the tournament and many fans believe the Dortmund striker will continue his excellent club form

Some other long shots that may just case a surprise are the likes of England striker Andy Carroll 501 with Ladbrokes Roman Pavlyuchenko 661 with Bet365 and German playmaker Mesut Ozil 661 with bwin

Our tip Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 181 with Paddy Power

Outside bet Zlatan Ibrahimovic 501 with Boylesports

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 9

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 back13 Klaas-shy‐Jan13 Huntelaar13 at13 18113 with13 Paddy13 Power

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 a13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 11: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Groups - A Guide to the GroupsThe European Championships take place this summer in Ukraine and Poland and begin with the opening match between the Poles and 2004 European Champions Greece in Warsaw on June 8th

The tournament features 16 teams who start in four groups of four before progressing to quarter finals semi finals and a final each of which is played over a single leg

The Euro 2012 groups have already been decided and the matches and fixture list is therefore already known The first group Group A contains Poland Greece Russia and Czech Republic and is according to FIFArsquos ratings the weakest of the four

The strongest of the Euro 2012 groups ndash officially at least ndash is Group B which features Netherlands Germany Portugal and Denmark These sides are ranked 2nd 3rd 7th and 11th in the world This section is undoubtedly the lsquoEuro 2012 group of deathrsquo and many people think that the winner will come from Group B

Reigning champions Spain have been given what looks on paper to be a relatively straight-forward Euro 2012 group Vicente Del Bosquersquos side have been drawn against Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland in Group C and it would be something of a shock if the World and European champions dropped any points in their opening three matches

The picture is less clear in Euro 2012 Group D where England France Sweden and Ukraine meet Ukraine may be the hosts but they are fairly easy to discount but Sweden have a number of talented players not least AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and they will be dangerous opponents France have been steadily improving under Laurent Blanc and England despite question marks over the manager have a squad full of household names with Champions League experience

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot

meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Two teams progress from each of the four Euro 2012 groups and qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament The structure is similar to that of previous European Championships in that the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and so on

The winner of the first quarter final will then play the winner of the third quarter final ensuring that two sides who met in the Euro 2012 groups cannot meet again until the final of the tournament This will be good news for both Germany manager Joachim Low and Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 10

Scan13 this13 QR13 code13 for13 Euro13 201213 news13 be9ng13 ps13 score13 updates13 match13 previews13 free13 bets13 and13 best13 odds

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

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14 Applicable Law

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 12: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Group Betting TipsBettingprocom writer Neil Roarty has identified his best bets in each of the four groups at Euro 2012

When looking for Euro 2012 Group betting tips it is important to take into account two things How a team played in qualifying and how they have performed at previous international tournaments

Using this criteria we can immediately rule out Poland from Group A The Poles may be the hosts but they havenrsquot played at an international tournament since 2008 and they were an abject disappointment in Austria and Switzerland failing to qualify from the group stage Before that Poland also failed to progress from the groups in World Cup 2002 and 2006

Russia are the favourites to win Group A at a best price of 64 with Sky Bet and they justify that position having qualified in style and they set the benchmark Greece (92 bet365) should be considered as their biggest challengers having won the competition in 2004 and qualified comfortably this time around Czech Republic (41 Boylesports) narrowly snuck into the playoffs ahead of Scotland and like Poland donrsquot look like causing much danger to anyone

Group A may be clear cut but Group B is far from straight-forward Denmark (201 Bet Victor) are the outsiders but they qualified ahead of Portugal (92 Blue Square) and so should be respected However the winner will be one of either Germany (54 bet365) and Netherlands (21 Sky Bet)

Preference is given to the Dutch whose second place finish at World Cup 2010 supersedes Germanyrsquos final appearance at Euro 2008 but it is not necessarily a certainty and those having a bet would be advised to take the lsquodual forecastrsquo option on both teams progressing in any order at odds of 910 at Bwin instead

Group C offers the first real lsquocertaintyrsquo of Euro 2012 and that is that Spain will win the group at odds of 813 with bet365 The World and European champions are potentially vulnerable to rivals later in the tournament but they should sail through their group which consists of Croatia Ireland and Italy None of those three teams have a defence capable of living with Vicente Del

Bosquersquos side and it should be maximum points from three matches for Spain

That leaves second place in Group C up for grabs and Italy are the bookmakers favourites at a best price of 46 with Boylesports However the Nerazzurri showed at World Cup 2010 that they are prone to implosion and canrsquot be backed at that price Patriotic punters might want to consider Ireland who will be well organised and hard to break down at a very big 51 with William Hill but only for small stakes

Converseley patriotism should be ignored in Group D where England are as low as 54 to qualify as winners The Three Lions are better than Sweden but were comprehensively outplayed by France in a recent friendly and Laurent Blancrsquos side should be backed at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus may have been awful at South Africa 2010 but the side has changed immeasurably since then and a comfortable qualification looks on the cards this year Ukraine may be the hosts but they are simply there to make up the numbers

Recommendations

Group A Winner ndash Russia (64 Sky Bet)Group B Dual Forecast ndash NetherlandsGermany to qualify (910 Bwin)Group C Winner ndash Spain (813 bet365)Group D Winner ndash France (21 Paddy Power)

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 11

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

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This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 13: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Group A betting tips Poland to make home advantage countGreece are a vibrant young side for whom the future looks bright and while they are unlikely to repeat their 2004 exploits qualification looks well within their reach

Russia could be the nation to just miss out and the injuries they have suffered in defence may have disrupted Dick Advocaatrsquos plans just a little too much

Recommendation Poland (114 William Hill)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde thinks that co-hosts Poland can emerge on top of Group A despite it being one of the most open of the four pools in Euro 2012

With home advantage the Poles have been well backed to finish ahead of Russia the Czech Republic and Greece and are a best price of 114 with William Hill

All four nations are given a strong chance by the bookmakers of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners with Russia topping the market and Greece the outsiders at a mere 51 with Paddy Power

It is difficult to see any team running away with the group and advancing with a 100 record as they look so closely matched but Poland look potentially the best value

Of course assessing how good Poland are just now is not easy because they along with the Ukraine did not participate in the qualifying process due to being co-hosts

But the signs are good judging by their recent friendly international results for they had not conceded a goal in four outings up to the 1-0 win over Slovakia on May 26

Admittedly Franciszek Smudarsquos side are not free scorers but they may not need to be in order to finish top of the pile in a tight group

A win and a couple of draws could even be enough and I think Greece whom Poland play in the opening game of the tournament on June 8 could be the team to go through with them

The side I am prepared to take on is the Czech Republic despite them having Petr Cech in goal They look short up front and the fact former Liverpool striker Milan Baros is still their main striker says it all

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 12

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 14: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Group B betting tips Portugal can survive group of deathBy that stage of course the Germans and Dutch will have clashed and it is far from ideal for those teams that they are meeting in the second round of games rather than the last when they would know what is required to advance

Holland look like they could be a bit shaky at the back and will not relish Ronaldo and Nani attacking them for a Portugal team who look set to book a spot in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

Recommendation Portugal to qualify (75 Boylesports)

Jon Wilde

Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde explains why Portugal are a good bet to upset the anticipated Germany-Holland top two in Group B at Euro 2012 and qualify for the last eight

The Portuguese have been dismissed by the bookmakers as 201 outsiders to lift the trophy in Kiev on July 1 but those odds will come tumbling down if they can get through their pool

Cristiano Ronaldo and co find themselves in the lsquogroup of deathrsquo alongside Germany Holland and Denmark and at first glance itrsquos easy to see why Boylesports are happy to lay 75 for them to qualify

But in a tournament where if the 2010 World Cup is anything to go by defences are likely to hold sway in the early stages dynamic attacking talent could be key and Portugal have that in abundance

For all his achievements at club level Ronaldo has yet to take a big tournament by the scruff of the neck and as his countryrsquos captain he will be more determined than ever to stake his claim to be the worldrsquos greatest player

He is currently losing that battle hands down to Lionel Messi but this is a great opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to thrust himself back into the limelight

Manchester United winger Nani will also be fresh and raring to go after an injury-disrupted season while Hugo Almeida has a highly respectable scoring record at this level

Although Portugal were beaten to top spot by Denmark in their qualifying group they should be more effective in a tournament format and the surprise 1992 European champions look to be the makeweights in this pool

Germany do not look to be firing on all cylinders heading into the against Joachim Lowrsquos side it will put them in great shape to qualify if they can then beat Denmark

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 13

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 15: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Group C betting tips Republic of Ireland poised for early exitItrsquos sure to be a terrific adventure for the green army making their way to Poznan but a couple of draws looks the maximum the Republic can expect and on that basis it will only be enough for fourth spot in the group

Recommendation Republic of Ireland to finish bottom (56 Ladbrokes)

Jon Wilde

Republic of Ireland are set for an early return home from Euro 2012 and look a good value bet to finish bottom of Group C says Bettingprorsquos Jon Wilde

Sorry Irish fans it hurts to write this but the 56 with Ladbrokes about your country propping up the group table is a price that must be taken

The draw has not been kind to Giovanni Trapattonirsquos side who had to come through the play-offs to book their place in Poland

Defending and world champions Spain are worthy favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament successes while Italy although perhaps not as strong as in previous years still have the quality to reach the latter stages

Those two should be the qualifiers but if there is to be an upset itrsquos far more likely that Croatia will provide it rather than the Republic

Slaven Bilic has been in charge of his country for a long time and knows his players inside out and Croatia are an adept tournament side who with Luka Modric pulling the strings generally achieve more than the sum of their individual parts

The Irish camp has had a slightly troubled build-up with injuries affecting Trapattonirsquos selection process and Kevin Foley expressing his disgruntlement at being left out of the final 23

If Ireland fail to take anything from their opener against Croatia they will be left playing catch-up with the two toughest games to come and while much is being made of their good record against the Italians it will be a huge ask to claim four points off two European giants

The Irish squad generally lacks the quality of most of their Euro 2012 rivals with Championship players having to fill the breach for injured colleagues even though Robbie Keane Shay Given and Aiden McGeady are certainly of the required class

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 14

Or13 scan13 this13 QR13 code13 to13 bet13 on13 Ireland13 to13 finish13 bofom13 of13 the13 group13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 in13 free13 bets13 from13 Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 16: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Group D betting tips Co-hosts Ukraine to prop up table missing the first two games due to suspension

Sweden are an effective tournament side who have a knack of grinding out results in this sort of format and while the Scandinavians are probably not quite good enough to go through they should have a bit too much nous to ensure they finish third ahead of the Ukraine

Recommendation Ukraine to finish bottom (115 bet365)

Jon Wilde

Bettingpro writer Jon Wilde thinks that Ukraine are set to disappoint their legions of fans who have waited to see them co-host Euro 2012 by finishing bottom of Group D

The nation thatrsquos staging the tournament jointly with Poland are 115 with bet365 to be bottom of the pile at the end of the six group fixtures and that looks a price well worth taking

Oleg Blokhinrsquos side look capable of scoring goals and although Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are into the veteran stage now Andriy Yarmolenko is a young talent about whom much will be heard from the European Championship onwards

Straggly-haired Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk will harness things in the centre of the pitch but itrsquos in defence where the Ukraine are expected to come unstuck

In particular Blokhin has had terrible problems finding a first-choice goalkeeper as three contenders have dropped out of the running for varying reasons ndash two because of injury and another having been suspended for using a banned diuretic

Andriy Pyatov of Shakhtar Donetsk is likely to take over but the situation is far from ideal especially with the Ukraine having a back line that contains few familiar names

Key to the Ukrainersquos prospects of putting on an impressive performance will be their first match against Sweden to whom they lost the last time they played in a home friendly last August

With France and England looking the strongest sides in the group the Ukraine cannot bank on taking much from those two matches even though they will have home advantage

The French look a much more cohesive unit this time under Laurent Blanc after the meltdown in South Africa while England will have Wayne Rooney back for their final match against the Ukraine fresh and up for it after

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 15

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 17: Euro 2012 betting guide

Patriotic PuntingCan England win Euro 2012 We present the case for and against

England are the fourth favourites to win Euro 2012 although our writers disagree as to whether Fabio Capellorsquos team can claim victory

Wersquore now counting down the months until the start of Euro 2012 with sixteen teams competing in Poland and Ukraine in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe

One of those teams is England a side that have not won a major tournament since 1966 and their 2010 World Cup campaign was a disaster which saw them crash out to Germany at the last sixteen stage

So the big question is ndash can the Three Lions possibly win Euro 2012 or do they stand next to no chance considering teams like Spain Germany and the Netherlands stand in their way

Two of our writers argue the case for and against an England triumph

YES ndash ENGLAND CAN WIN EURO 2012 (Matthew Glazier)

Firstly I am not an England supporter so this isnrsquot a case of misguided patriotism And yes I did watch the 2010 World Cup where Fabio Capellorsquos team produced three mediocre performances in the group stage before a right old thumping at the hands of Germany

However there was nothing mediocre about the way that England won in Wales Bulgaria and Switzerland en route to qualifying for Euro 2012 and they would have also comfortably won in Montenegro if Wayne Rooney hadnrsquot lost his head

England have been handed a relatively easy draw on paper with Group D also including Sweden Ukraine

and France It appears as though the team are better suited to playing away from Wembley so matches in Donetsk and Kiev shouldnrsquot pose too many problems especially as the above teams wonrsquot set out their stall to defend

Rooney will miss the opening two matches of the tournament although Andy Carroll Jermain Defoe and Danny Welbeck should provide enough attacking quality while England are blessed with lots of midfield options including Scott Parker Steven Gerrard Ashley Young and Theo Walcott

The recent 1-0 friendly victory over Spain despite having several first-team players out illustrates that they have a winning mentality at the moment and the players will have learnt a lot from that dreadful 2010 World Cup campaign

Yes Spain are going to play pretty football and Germany will be quick and powerful although England are surely in with a chance considering they will potentially play Italy or Croatia in the quarter final something that will hold little fear for the Three Lions

NO - ENGLAND CANNOT WIN EURO 2012 (Neil Roarty)

England qualified comfortably for Euro 2012 finishing unbeaten in Group G with just six points dropped in eight matches That will have the Three Lions supporters out in force claiming that this is the year that they end rsquo46 years of hurtrsquo in lsquoPolkrainersquo

However England were not impressive in qualification and showed nothing like the style and verve shown by Spain Germany or Netherlands who all averaged over three goals a game compared to Englandrsquos two It could be argued that all three had more difficult groups

than Fabio Capellorsquos side and the fact that Sweden and Czech Republic both qualified for the tournament proper bears this out

Capello has now gone and in his place is Roy Hodgson but it is neither revolution nor evolution under the former West Brom manager John Terry his place in the side despite some mediocre performances Frank Lampard continues to play in central midfield and Wayne Rooney forms essentially a one man goal-less attack Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to the fold in the summer and England will line-up at Euro 2012 with a virtually identical side that crashed out of the 2010 World Cup

There appear to have been no lessons learned from that tournament and the 1-0 win over Spain illustrated this fact Here was a chance to take on the world champions at Wembley and give them something to worry about but England sat back were completely out-played and scored a lucky goal on the break The Three Lions won but it will be Spain who will go into any re-match with confidence

Similarly England cannot be comfortable facing France in Polkraine having been comprehensively out-passed by Laurent Blancrsquos side in a friendly at Wembley and everyone knows what happened the last time they took on Germany There are three or four teams at Euro 2012 who are better at football than England and show it time and again That will be the case once more this summer

Matthew Glazier amp Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 16

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

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Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 18: Euro 2012 betting guide

10 Reasons Why England Can Win Euro 2012 The countdown to Euro 2012 has begun in earnest now that Roy Hodgson has been given the task of leading England into battle this summer

Englands preparation has been typically baffling and the media circus that follows the team is in full swing but Bettingprocom writer Nick Wilby believes there are ten good reasons to believe that Hodgsons lions will be roaring at this years tournament

1 - Roy Hodgson

Harry Redknapp might have been the nations first choice when the England managers job became available but Roy Hodgson was arguably the safest choice and in appointing him manager they have installed one of footballs shrewdest thinkers Hodgson is vastly experienced having worked for no less than 16 teams in eight countries and he is revered at some of Europes biggest clubs He might not be the motivator that Redknapp would have been but he is tactically astute and hell be leaving no stone unturned this June

2 - A fresh Wayne Rooney

Despite his dejected display in South Africa Wayne Rooney is still Englands most important player and there are no grounds for supposing England can launch a serious challenge at Euro 2012 without their most precious talent Having the superstar available for one group game could be the difference between progressing and flying home early and if we do go through we know weve got a striker playing at the top of his game His club form has been mesmerising at times and he doesnt look to be carrying the injuries that plagued him two years ago

3 - Joe Hart

Finally England has a world-class goalkeeper in its squad and you get the feeling Joe Hart will be very busy if we are going to get to the final in Kiev Hart has been in fantastic form this season and he has excelled in between the sticks at one of the biggest clubs in Europe He looks to have all the attributes to

go on and become of Englands greatest keepers of all time and his day-to-day practice with the likes of Sergio Aguumlero David Silva and Mario Balotelli can only make him stronger

4 - Spain can be beaten

Chelseas incredible victory over Barcelona and Bayern Munichs success over Real Madrid will have the leading contenders at Euro 2012 purring with excitement as Spain look to win their third major tournament on the bounce They are undoubtedly the most formidable team on the way to Ukraine and Poland but Chelsea showed that Spain can be conquered and if England do meet them then it is far from being all doom and gloom

5 - England doesnt expect

Its hard to remember England heading to a major tournament with so little expectation and whereas the media have unscrewed the English wheels in the past this year it seems it is very much a case of building for the future Germany proved two years ago that the right blend of youth and experience can lead to great things and if England do use this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup who is to say we wont surprise ourselves

6 - The younger lions set to make their mark

It always seems to be the case that there is one exciting player trying to dribble their way into the England squad at these tournaments but this year we seem to have a whole host of ultra-talented youngsters that could make an impact this summer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has looked every bit the real deal at Arsenal and Danny Wellbeck continues to flourish in a Manchester United shirt The future is certainly bright but the present is equally as exciting

7 - Keeping John Terry and Rio Ferdinand apart

Hodgson has resisted the temptation to pick John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in this months England

squad and the managers decision will be welcomed with great relief in the dressing room The relationship between Terry and Ferdinand looks incurable and the tension in the England camp could buckle under the strain of their feud On his day Terry is a superb centre-back and nobody can fault his effort

8 - Important players in form

For once there looks to be a number of Englands leading names in fine form and it isnt just Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart that are buzzing ahead of the Euros Frank Lampard has looked back to his best at the centre of Chelseas siege for silverware John Terry remains world class on his day Ashley Cole still looks like one of the best left backs in the game and there are a whole host of players upping their game as the season reaches its climax Even Andy Carroll is beginning to look unplayable

9 - A case for the defence

Roy Hodgson is one of the most organised managers in English football and his impressive CV has been built on methodical tactics and successful back fours These major tournaments are more often than not very tight affairs and there wont be too many goals between winning and losing Luckily England will have a fantastic goalkeeper a well organised back four and one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League in the shape of Scott Parker if we do need to park the bus 10 - The travelling England fans

Englands travelling fans are without doubt the best in the world and despite the vast expense and long distances involved we can be sure that thousands of supporters will be making the trip to Ukraine and Poland this summer Englands enthusiasm is more than a match for any of their rivals and they wont be fighting against the sound of the vuvuzela this time around The England players will feel close to home when the fans flock to Donetsk for their clash with France

Nick WilbyBettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 17

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

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11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

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We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 19: Euro 2012 betting guide

5 reasons why Republic of Ireland can shock Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland are being written off by most pundits but European-Championshipcom writer Raymond Doyle thinks that there are several reasons to suggest that the Boys in Green can cause a shock at Euro 2012

Style of PlayLove it or hate ithellipand many Irish fans hate ithellipthe style of football under Mr Giovanni Trapattoni is dullhellipvery dull However it is absolutely ideal for international football This isnrsquot Premier League football taking place in Poland and Ukraine over the next month Itrsquos boring disciplined do not lose football I mentioned this before when talking about England under Roy Hodgson - When Spain won the World Cup in 2010 their results were as follows 0-1 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 Not exactly a goal a minute games ndash but thatrsquos what it takes They say there are only two certainties in life ndash death and taxes ndash well you can add the fact that Trapattoni will play two banks of four with two holding midfield players and two out and out wingers to that list His philosophy is very simple ndash here we are now come and beat us Many critics have called for the likes of James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman to be giving starting roles but Trap trusts the players like Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews and knows what he is going to get from them day in day out No variables The Italian knows how to play international football In his time as Italy manager ndash although disappointing at major events ndash was impressive with only seven defeats in 44 games Last Saturdayrsquos 1-0 win over Bosnia was Irelandrsquos 13th game without defeat Not a bad run heading into Poznan

Case for the DefenceSpain will always be remembered for winning the 2010 World Cup through exceptional passing football with the like of Xavi and Iniesta pulling strings and David Villa scoring for fun The reality of it was more down to a tremendous defence We have looked at Spainrsquos defensive record in that tournament ndash now look at Irelandrsquos record In their last 14 games (qualifiers play-offs and friendlies) Ireland have keep 10 clean sheets ndash including eight consecutive shutouts A phenomenal

achievement when you consider that run contained the likes of Russia Italy and Croatia Trapattoni will start with Shay Given in goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back goals John OrsquoShea Richard Dunne Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward as his back four (baring injuries) Dunne has been inspirational for the Irish in this qualifying campaign (see Russia away ndash to name just one of his many world class performances) and St Ledger always seems to play his best football at international level John OrsquoShea has always been superb when wearing the green jersey and Ward has impressed since taking over from Kevin Kilbane at left back We wonrsquot concede many in Poland so it over to the next man to get us out of the group

Robbie Keane as MustardTo watch him sometimes in a half empty Aviva stadium you do wonder how on earth Robbie Keane has so many international goals For 89 minutes of a game the terms lsquoheadlessrsquo and lsquochickenrsquo get mentioned from the stands on more than one occasion but come that minute when it counts Robbie is there more times than not 53 international goals in 116 games is nothing short of incredible He will of course start up front for all three games but his partner will be key It

looks like Trapattoni will go with Kevin Doyle to start the tournament but Trap has a history of dropping Doyle if he is not producing so donrsquot be surprised to see Shane Long or Jonathan Walters get the nod for the Spanish or Italy game Keane may infuriate you at times but we wouldnrsquot change him (and his lovely tumble roll celebration) for anything in the world

Opposition in Group COn paper you would think Irsquove lost it thinking Ireland can beat current defending World Cup and European Champions Spain 2006 World Cup winners Italy and a Croatian side full of top class players But football is played on grass not paper Spain come into the tournament with NINE of their squad having just played in the Copa Del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao Many of this

exceptional Spanish squad have played over 50 games already this season Italy come into the tournament with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are with yet another match-fixing scandal hanging over them and the days of Totti Del Piero and Maldini are long gone This Irish side contained Croatia to very little when they meet last August in the Aviva Stadium so Trapattonirsquos men will have the belief that they can cause an upset

On a wing and a prayerWe have talked about how Trapattoni will play his traditional rigid 4-4-2 but the one outlet the Irish do have are three wingers in great form with agenuine ability to change a game Last Saturday Aidan McGeady showed his vitally important he is to this Irish side He may drive some fans mad with hisoccasional poor shot selection but he has many strings to his bow to keep the very best fullback tied up in knots On the other side Damian Duff has been there and done that in his Irish career He is also coming off the back of a good seasonwith Fulham and his understanding with Keane will be crucial The one joker in the Irish pack is James McClean The Sunderland winger has been the talk of Irish football for the past six months after his eye-catching performances under Martin OrsquoNeill I was in the Aviva Stadium when McClean finally made Irish debut last February and judging by the crowdrsquos reaction you would be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Messi taking to the pitch He wonrsquot start against Croatia but expect him to make an impact coming off the bench

Raymond Doyle

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 18

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 20: Euro 2012 betting guide

7 Best Bets at Euro 2012Euro 2012 is just around the corner and many of us will be placing a bet on Spain Germany or even England to win this summer Bettingprocom writer Matthew Glazier gives us an expert view of the European Championship

The England squad for Euro 2012 has now been finalised and there will be the usual swell of patriotic money for the Three Lions to win a major tournament especially if Roy Hodgsonrsquos team beat Belgium when the two teams meet at Wembley on Saturday

For those that bet with our head rather than lion heart England never represent a value proposition although the bookmakers have created lots of betting markets and Irsquove found a few gems which will hopefully make some money

1 No Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer at Euro 2012 94 with Stan James

This isnrsquot me having a pop at Tottenham but merely pointing out that 94 is too big considering that Rafael van der Vaart is favourite for this market Jermain Defoe will be lucky to get on the pitch and the Croatian pair of Modric and Kranjcar will be facing Spain and Italy

2 Russia to reach semi-finals 31 Blue Square

I actually quite fancy the Russians at 251 on the outright market although we can be more confident of a winning bet by backing Dick Advocaatrsquos team to reach the last four of Euro 2012 Group A opponents Poland Czech Republic and Greece shouldnrsquot provide much of an obstacle and potential last eight opponents Netherlands were undone by Russia at Euro 2008

3 No Chelsea goalscorer at Euro 2012 91 with Ladbrokes

We have thought long and hard about placing this bet although Juan Mata and Fernando Torres arenrsquot definite starters for Spain and the same applies to Frank Lampard for England Sure enough wersquore just a goal away from disaster with this wager although Malouda Meireles Terry and Cahill are all likely to draw blanks

4 England to be eliminated by Italy 91 bet365

If England make it out of Group D they will play a team from Group C which features Spain Italy Croatia and Republic of Ireland Spain are 103 compared to the 91 about Italy and that doesnrsquot make sense considering the Three Lions are joint-favourites to win their section

5 Karim Benzema to be top France scorer 31 William Hill

OK so the Real Madrid striker misses his fair share of chances at club level although Benzema is a nailed-on pick for Les Bleus and should provide the cutting-edge in attack The likes of Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena are inexperienced at international level so Karim should be a cracker here

6 Robbie Keane v Andy Carroll goals match bet ndash draw 158 with Ladbrokes

The odds about this happening might be slashed but anything above 64 looks like a great shout when you consider Carroll might only start one match for England and also the fact that the Liverpool forward isnrsquot exactly prolific While wersquore banking on both players to draw a blank they could easily get one apiece instead and that would also be a winner

7 Group B to be lowest-scoring group 41 BetVictor There is no statistical evidence to suggest Group A (the favourite on this market) will have the fewest goals and the chances are we will have low-scoring games across all four groups Portugal and the Netherlands were very negative at the 2010 World Cup and wonrsquot be any more expansive against Germany while Denmark will also offer stubborn resistance to all three of their opponents

Matthew Glazier

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 19

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 for13 13 Mobile13 Free13 Bets

bull13 to13 8613113 for13 pound7513 free13 ndash13 Ladbrokes

bull13 to13 8966013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Be_red

bull13 to13 8001013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Sporngbet

bull13 to13 5150013 for13 pound5013 free13 ndash13 Boylesports

(UK13 mobiles13 only)

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 21: Euro 2012 betting guide

Neilrsquos Top 3 Bets at Euro 2012Bettingpro writer Neil Roarty has identified his three best bets at Euro 2012 with one tip on the outright market one on the top goalscorer market and one group bet

Netherlands to win Euro 2012 ndash 152 Coral

The first of our tips for Euro 2012 is to back Netherlands to win the tournament at odds of 152 with Coral The Dutch were beaten finalists at the 2010 World Cup but bounced back in style in qualifying for lsquoPolkrainersquo with some impressive wins in a tough section They play open attacking football and the attacking quintet of Rafael Van Der Vaart Wesley Sneijder Arjen Robben Robin Van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar is arguably the finest in world football

The Dutch do have to negotiate a difficult group containing Germany Portugal and Denmark but if they can survive an opening match with the Germans then I would imagine that they will be fairly confident against any other team in the competition

Mario Gomez to be Top Goalscorer ndash 91 Paddy Power

The second of our tips for Euro 2012 is to bet on Mario Gomez to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer at odds of 91 with Paddy Power This may seem like a rather obvious pick as Gomez is one of the names at the head of the market but the reason he is there is because he is one of the most likely top scorers The Germany international will play as the focal point of an attack featuring club mates Thomas Muller Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos and so the understanding amongst the forwards will be fantastic Gomez plays this role for Bayern Munich and he is currently the top scorer in a very high scoring Bundesliga and he also finished as top scorer in the Champions League Germany are likely to reach at least the semi finals of the tournament which means that the 26-year-old should play in the maximum number of matches possible

this summer This gives Gomez every chance of being the top goalscorer this summer and he is a solid pick at the odds particularly with frac14 odds for a top four finish

France to win Group D ndash 21 Paddy Power

The third of our tips for Euro 2012 comes in the Group Winner market and centres around Englandrsquos group The Three Lions are the 64 favourites to win Group D but our tip for Euro 2012 Group D is to back France at 21 with Paddy Power Les Bleus are a very strong side under Laurent Blanc and play some excellent open expansive football which should see them comfortably beat both Sweden and Ukraine They would also expect to beat England in the group opener as they won a recent friendly between the two sides and England will be hampered by the suspension of Wayne Rooney The odds look the wrong way around in Group D and our tip is to take advantage

Neil Roarty

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 20

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 22: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (2008)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form DDWLWWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

PolandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 Boylesports

Host nation Poland will be relishing their role for Euro 2012 but as the lowest ranked team they may not last long as competitors The Poles have been drawn in Group A alongside Greece Russia and the Czech Republic and it will be a tough task for them to progress to the knockout stage of this competition

How They Qualified

Poland automatically qualified for this competition because they are co-hosts Therefore it has been two years since they played in a competitive match and that will make it difficult to judge just where they stand among the supposed best 16 international teams in European football Poland have played a host of friendly games with mixed results They did play group opponents Greece in a friendly back in March 2011 and that match ended in a goalless draw

Manager

Franciszek Smuda succeeded Leo Beenhakker after Poland failed to reach the 2010 World Cup finishing fifth in their six-team qualifying group Since then Smuda who enjoyed successful spells as manager of Wisla Krakow and Lech Poznan has been building a youthful squad that has shown some signs of promise They held Germany to a 2-2 draw when they met in a friendly last September with Cacaursquos last-gasp strike denying Smudarsquos men the victory

Star Players

The Poland squad is likely to feature names some familiar names in Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski but the star of this show is undoubtedly Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski The 23-year-old played a key role as Dortmund romped to the 201011 Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion and his goalscoring ratio for the national team is very respectable Lewandowski has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Poland and the pressure is on for him to add to that tally in front of his fellow countrymen

FIFA Ranking 65

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 21

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 23: Euro 2012 betting guide

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Grzegorz Sandomierski (Jagiellonia Bialystok) Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) Przemyslaw Tyton (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Breman) Marcin Kaminski (Lech Poznan) Damien Perquis (Sochaux) Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht) Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw) Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)

Midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) Dariusz Dudka (Auxerre) Kamil Grosicki (Sivasspor) Adam Matuszczyk (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Adrian Mierzejewski (Trabzonspor) Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan) Ludovic Obraniak (Bordeaux) Eugen Polanski (FSV Mainz) Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) Rafal Wolski (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards Pawel Brozek (Celtic) Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) Artur Sobiech (Hannover 96)

Expected Starting Team

Szczeny Perquis Boenisch PiszczekWasilewski Obraniak Blaszczykowski Murawski Polanski Rybus Lewandowski

Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski

Penalty Taker Robert Lewandowski

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Therersquos only really one contender in this market Robert Lewandowski The Borussia Dortmund striker has had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga scoring crucial goals against Bayern Munich in the league and the cup final The 23-year-old also netted the goal that sealed the title for Die Schwarzgelben and much of his countryrsquos fate this summer will rest on his young shoulders Lewandowski is 158 at Coral to be the top scorer for Poland at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the best bets of the tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Hosts tend to do well at European Championships but even in a fairly weak group it will take a monumental effort for Poland to get past the group stage

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 22

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

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3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 24: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (2004)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Warsaw Poland v Greece (1700)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form DWDWWDLDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Giannis Fetfatzidis Kyriakos Papadopoulos Vassilis Torossidis (2 Goals)

GreeceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

Greece shocked the whole of football when they won the European Championship back in 2004 but a repeat of that feat is almost unimaginable Greece have been drawn alongside Poland Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A and the bookmakers have made them outsiders to come out on top

How They Qualified

Their progress to Euro 2012 was hardly spectacular but Greece did manage to complete their qualifying campaign with an unbeaten record They started slowly with draws against Georgia and Croatia before embarking on a five-game winning run that put them in a strong position to reach this tournament

A draw against Latvia sent the Greeks into their showdown with Croatia knowing that a victory would all-but ensure their progress and they duly delivered on home soil Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas were on target in a 2-0 win for Greece and they then closed out the campaign with a 2-1 win over Georgia It is worth noting that Greece were in fact the lowest scoring team to reach Euro 2012 having netted just 14 goals

Manager

Former FC Porto and AEK Athens boss Fernando Santos enjoyed a successful club career before replacing Otto Rehhagel back in 2010 Santos was handed the reins following Greecersquos poor showing at the 2010 World Cup in which they scored just twice as they bowed out at the group stage The Portuguese has enjoyed some success already by leading them to Euro 2012 with an unbeaten record but it remains to be seen if he has a team that can progress in this championship

Star Players

21-year-old Sotiros Ninis who saw little playing time at the 2010 World Cup played a starring role for the Greeks in qualifying until he damaged cruciate knee ligaments during a match against Israel While Greece did go on to reach this competition without him they missed his creativity

FIFA Ranking 14

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 23

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 25: Euro 2012 betting guide

The Panathinaikos man returned to action in March and the theory is that he will be well rested and ready to guide his country to another successful European Championships If Ninis isnrsquot up to the task then it will fall to the trusty old midfield pair of Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to try and win matches for Greece

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC) Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC) Alexandros Tzorvas (US Cittagrave di Palermo)

Defenders Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC) Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen) Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC) Joseacute Holebas (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC) Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)

Midfielders Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC) Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC) Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC) Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC) Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC) Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC) Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC) Kostas Fortounis (1 FC Kaiserslautern)

Forwards Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC) Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC) Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor) Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC) Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)

Expected Starting Team

Chalkias Torssidis Papasthopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas Katsouranis Karagounis Maniatis Ninis Samaras Gekas

Captain Giorgos Karagounis

Penalty Taker Giorgos Karagounis

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Greece scored just 14 goals in qualifying with defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Vassilis Torossidis joint top scorers on a mighty two goals so itrsquos hardly an inspiring market That said Greece are going to have to score at some point as they have an easy enough group so someone will find the net for Fernando Santosrsquos side

That someone probably wonrsquot be Celtic striker Georgos Samaras who has never convinced as a goalscorer and will play as a left winger Theofansi Gekas makes appeal at 61 with Bet365 but it might be worth taking a chance on Papdaopoulos at a massive 281 with Bet Victor

The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingpro Verdict

The longest priced team at Euro 2012 but canrsquot be completely written off Much will depend on their opening match with Poland If they lose that theyrsquore going home early The Schalke defender may only have 8 caps for his country but he has scored three goals and with much of Greecersquos attack likely to based on set-pieces he could be the value bet particularly as one goal could be enough to see him finish at least joint top scorer for his country

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 24

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 26: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1960)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8 Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Warsaw Poland v Russia (1945)

Saturday June 16Warsaw Greece v Russia (1945)

Form WDWWDWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Roman Pavlyuchenko Alan Dzagoev (4 Goals)

RussiaOdds to win Euro 2012 - 221 Sky Bet

Russia enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in the 2008 edition of the European Championship but it will take some effort from Dick Advocaatrsquos men to repeat that achievement in Poland and Ukraine They have been drawn in Group A alongside Poland Greece and the Czech Republic and they are expected to progress from the group stage However their run may not last much longer after that

How They Qualified

Russia came out on top in their qualifying group after overcoming an early setback Having opened with a win over Andorra the Russians crashed to a home defeat at the hands of Slovakia However they responded in positive fashion with wins in the Republic of Ireland and Macedona before they claimed a point in Armenia Wins over Armenia and Macedonia followed before they were held to a goalless draw by the Irish in a match they dominated But they closed out their qualifying campaign with wins over Slovakia and Andorra and that was enough to secure their automatic progression to Euro 2012

Manager

Dick Advocaat is a familiar name throughout football having tasted success in a host of different countries including his native Holland Scotland and Russia ldquoThe Little Generalrdquo also guided unfancied Zenit St Petersburg to UEFA Cup glory back in 2007 when they beat his former employers Rangers in the final Advocaat has also previously managed at international level guiding Holland to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals and Euro 2004 semi-finals during two spells in charge The former South Korea and Belgium boss took over from Guus Hiddink as Russia coach back in May 2010 and he has enjoyed a successful start by leading them to Euro 2012

Star Players

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will provide

FIFA Ranking 11

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 25

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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2 Disclaimer

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 27: Euro 2012 betting guide

Russiarsquos goal threat at Euro 2012 The 30-year-old burst onto the international stage when he netted three times during Euro 2008 and although he struggled in England his ability cannot be questioned and he is now leading the line for Lokomotiv Moscow The striker netted four times during Russiarsquos qualifying campaign and is expected to be the focal point of his sidersquos attack at Euo 2012

Pavlyuchenko will be ably supported by Alan Dzagoev who has made a name for himself in the past 12 months The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow midfielder scored four goals in eight appearances in qualifying and having been named the Russian Premier Leaguersquos best young player will be looking to make an impact on the big international stage

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow) Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg) Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow) Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan) Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow) Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg) Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg) Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow) Marat Izmailov (Sporting) Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow) Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg) Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow) Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham)

Expected Starting Team

Akinfeyev Ignashevich Anyukov Beretzutsky Zhirkov Denisov Shirokov Semshov Arshavin Dzagoev Pavlyuchenko

Captain Andrei Arshavin

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Russia could well prove to be the dark horses at Euro 2012 and that is due to the massive goal threat contained within Dick Advocaatrsquos squad Roman Shirokov Andrei Arshavin Alan Dzagoev Alexander Kerzakhov Roman Pavlyuchenko and Pavel Pogrebnyak are all capable of scoring but the problem for punters is that they canrsquot all play at the same time

Kerzakhov and Pavlyuchenko look like the preferred pairing in attack and that is why they head the top Russian scorer market at 51 and 61 respectively with Betfred although the value possibly lies with young attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev The 21-year-old finished joint top scorer in qualifying and crucially his four goals came in four different matches which indicates he is capable of goals against a multitude of opponents He is 121 at bet365 to finish top scorer for Russia and at the odds he looks to be the value pick

Bettingpro Verdict

Russia should cruise through Group A although they could struggle against either Netherlands or Germany in the quarter finals Although with a little luck they could go very far

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 26

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

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11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

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We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 28: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1976)

Group A

bull Polandbull Greecebull Russiabull Czech Republic

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Friday June 8Wroclaw Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Tuesday June 12Wroclaw Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Saturday June 16 Wroclaw Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Form D L D W L W W W D

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Michal Kadlec (4 Goals)

Czech RepublicOdds to win Euro 2012 - 801 Sky Bet

The Czech Republic needed the play-offs to book their place in Euro 2012 but their stay may not last long This Czech side is a shadow of the ones that made such an impact in the mid-nineties with star names like Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky They have been drawn alongside Poland Greece and Russia in Group A and could advance to the knockout stage but that is likely to be as good as it gets

How They Qualified

The Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind World and European champions Spain edging out Scotland during the final few fixtures

Things started badly with a defeat at home to Lithuania but they bounced back quickly by beating a striker-less Scotland side before battling past Liechtenstein They responded to a loss against Spain with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein and the key result came next at Hampden Park

The Czechs snatched a 2-2 draw in Scotland thanks to a controversial late penalty and that gave them the edge in the race for second place Defeat at Spain did not matter because a win over Lithuania was enough to see them into the play-offs where they eased past Montenegro with a 3-0 aggregate win

Manager

Michal Bilek who led Czech side Sparta Prague to domestic double in 2006 joined the national team setup back in 2009 when he became assistant manager to Ivan Hasek However he was quickly promoted to the position of coach after Hasek returned to his role with the Czech FA

Czech supporters have not been supportive of the 46-year-old demanding his sacking but Bilek has ensured the side would not miss another major championship after being absent from the 2010 World Cup He will now be keen to silence his critics further by performing well in Poland and Ukraine

FIFA Ranking 28

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 27

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 29: Euro 2012 betting guide

Star Players

Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky familiar names to Premier League fans will be the key men for the Czech Republic Chelsea goalkeeper Cech will still be haunted by a blunder that led to the Czechrsquos exit from Euro 2008 but it would be harsh if the 29-year-old was remembered mainly for that mistake Cech has routinely come to the aid of club and country with fine saves and he will be keen to shine in what may be one of his final appearances on a major international stage

Arsenal man Rosicky is the creative force for this team but he is yet to shine at the very top of international football The Czechrsquos do not appear to have a squad filled with goalscoring talent ndash defender Michael Kadlec led the team with four goals in qualifying ndash so it is vital that they create plenty of chances for the strikers in the hope that they will take some of them Being their playmaker a lot of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Rosicky

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea) Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg) Jan Lastuvka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)

Defenders Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec) Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin) Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen) David Limbersky (Pilsen)Frantisek Rajtoral (Pilsen) Tomas Sivok (Besiktas) Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders Vladimir Darida (Pilsen) Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk) Petr Jiracek (Wolfsburg) Daniel Kolar (Pilsen) Milan Petrzela (Pilsen) Vaclav Pilar (Pilsen) Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta) Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Forwards Milan Baros (Galatasaray) David Lafata (Jablonec) Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow) Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg)

Expected Starting Team

Cech Kadlec Hubnik Sivok Selassie Pilar Plasil Jiracek Rosicky Pekhart Baros

Captain Tomas Rosicky

Penalty Taker Michal Kadlec

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Milan Baros is the main man for the Czech Republic and that is borne out by the fact that without him the team struggled for goals in qualifying The Galatasary striker has a good record at European Championships having won the Golden Boot in 2004 and he wonrsquot be fazed by the big occasion

He is still only 30 but Baros is regarded as the veteran of the Czech Republic squad and he will be expected to lead the side in Poland It is 61 at Coral that he does this by finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and considering that his likely strike partner Tomas Pekhart has never scored an international goal he may well have to should a lot of responsibility Alternatively no goalscorer at odds of 251 with Bet Victor makes appeal

Bettingpro Verdict

The Czech Republic have claims to be the worst team at Euro 2012 and it would be a surprise if they finish above bottom in Group A

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 28

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

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YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 30: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1972 1980 1996)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWDWWDWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Miroslav Klose (9 Goals)

GermanyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Ladbrokes

Three-time winners Germany have their sights set on their first piece of major silverware since Euro rsquo96 in England They are the most successful team in the history of this competition and have every chance of clinching a fourth title following a perfect qualifying campaign The Germans finished third at the 2010 World Cup but they are stronger and more experienced heading into Euro 2012 and it would be a huge surprise if they did not advance from a Group B that consists of Holland Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Germanyrsquos qualification to this tournament never looked in doubt as they won all 10 games to book their place in Poland and Ukraine with Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine goals They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium before cruising to wins over Azerbaijan (6-1) Turkey (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) Germany then battled past Austria 2-1 before more dominant victories followed 4-0 against Kazakhstan 3-1 at Azerbaijan and 6-2 against Austria Joachim Lowrsquos men then completed a perfect qualifying campaign with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Turkey and Belgium

Manager

Joachim Low appears to be leading Germany back to the top of international football and they are doing it in style Low took charge of the national team after Jurgen Klinsmann walked away in 2006 and he made an immediate impression by guiding the team to the final of Euro 2008 where they were beaten by Spain

Their improvement continued as they qualified for the 2010 World Cup with an unbeaten record and the Germans provided some of the highlights of the tournament as they hammered both England and Argentina

Spain returned to haunt them again by ousting Lowrsquos team in the semi-finals but there was every reason to be positive due to the emergence of several young stars during the tournament Low was rewarded with a new contract after Germany won all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and it may just be a matter of time before he guides his side all the way to major silverware

FIFA Ranking 2

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 29

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

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Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 31: Euro 2012 betting guide

Star Players

Mesut Ozil emerged as one of world footballrsquos most exciting prospects when he burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and his progression has only continued in the two years since then Ozilrsquos form in South Africa earned him a move to Real Madrid and the 23-year-old winger has continued to flourish

He was one of the star performers during qualifying topping the assists charts with seven and if he can continue to provide chances for the likes of Miroslav Klose then Germany will truly be a formidable force

And of course it would be wrong to not mention 33-year-old hitman Klose who is closing in on Gerd Mullerrsquos record for most goals for his country Klose netted nine times during the qualifying stage for Euro 2012 and needs just five more to equal Mullerrsquos mark of 68 and he will be keen to do it at what is likely to be his final major competition as an international footballer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen) Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) Mario Goumltze (Borussia Dortmund) Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich) Thomas Muumlller (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Marco Reus (Borussia Moumlnchengladbach) Andre Schuumlrrle (Bayer Leverkusen) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) Miroslav Klose (Lazio) Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Expected Starting Team

Neuer Badstuber Boateng Hummels Lahm Schweinsteiger Khedira Ozil Muller Podolski Gomez

Captain Philipp Lahm

Penalty Taker Mario Gomez

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Mario Gomez is the 91 favourite at Bet Victor in the outright top goalscorer market and it is surprising that he is as big as 114 with Bwin to finish as Germanyrsquos highest scorer in Poland and Ukraine That price makes plenty of appeal particularly after the season Gomez had at club level with Bayern Munich

However there is enough doubt over Gomezrsquos credentials to question whether he is worth backing at less than 31 The 26 year old disappointed in South Africa two years ago and was woeful in the Champions League final loss to Chelsea which raises questions over his ability on the biggest stage It is not inconceivable that he mis-fires in the opener against Portugal and is then replaced by Mirsolav Klose

Klose may be a veteran at 33 years old but his 9 goals in qualifying suggest that the World Cuprsquos record goalscorer still has plenty of life left in him He is 41 at Coral to outscore his team mates this summer

Klose hit four goals in South Africa but that wasnrsquot enough to make him Germanyrsquos top goalscorer though with that honour falling to Thomas Muller The Bayern Munich midfielder is still only 22 but he is already regarded as a star and he can cement his reputation this summer He will play almost as a second striker and will frequently be the furthest forward for his team At 91 with Ladbrokes he looks a good bet to be Germanyrsquos top scorer and odds of 501 on the outright market look good for an each-way bet

Bettingpro Verdict

Germany are vying with Spain for favouritism and that seems justified Any team that wants to win Euro 2012 are going to have to beat Joachim Lowrsquos side to do so

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 30

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 32: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1988)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Kharkiv Netherlands v Germany (1945)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (19

Form WWWLDLWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Klaas Jan Huntelaar (12 Goals)

NetherlandsOdds to win Euro 2012 - 71 Boylesports

Having come up just short in South Africa Holland will be looking to go one better at Euro 2012 The Dutch suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup but showed no hangover as they romped through qualifying for this summerrsquos European Championship in Poland and Ukraine They face a tough test in the group stage after being drawn alongside Germany Portugal and Denmark

How They Qualified

Holland made easy work of qualifying for Euro 2012 racking up nine wins from 10 games with their only loss coming in the final group game after they had already assured themselves of a place in this tournament

They opened up with a 5-0 rout of San Marino before edging past both Finland and Moldova by one goal They hit top speed as they put four past both Sweden and Hungary and the Dutch continued their free-scoring ways by netting five in the second game against Hungary before hammering San Marino 11-0 Wins over Finland and Moldova followed before a 3-2 defeat to Sweden ended their qualifying campaign but by that point Bert van Marwijkrsquos men were already through

Manager

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk boasts a record that not many international managers can rival The 59-year-old who enjoyed two successful spells as Feyenoord boss has lost just two competitive games since taking charge of the Oranje in July 2008 Following a flawless qualifying campaign van Marwijk led the Dutch national team to the 2010 World Cup final where they were beaten by Spain

They looked set to enjoy a perfect passage into Euro 2012 until they lost their final qualifier against Sweden but not even that put their place in this tournament in jeopardy If he can avoid a third defeat then Holland are likely to be heading home with their first piece of major silverware since Euro lsquo88

FIFA Ranking 4

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 31

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 33: Euro 2012 betting guide

Star Players

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was one of the elite performers at the 2010 World Cup and he will again play a key role here Sneijder is the complete package and should provide plenty of opportunities for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie The 27-year-old also has an eye for goal too as he showed in South Africa and that makes him all the more dangerous

It would be wrong to look Schalke 04 striker Huntelaar The 28-year-old played a bit-part role in Hollandrsquos run to the final in South Africa but in qualifying he has been one of the star performers with a 12 goals in just eight games Huntelaar will be hoping that has done enough to earn a place as van Marwijkrsquos lone striker but Van Persie will be pushing him all the way as he is enjoying a sensational season for club side Arsenal

Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

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)

Expected Starting Team

Stekelenburg Van der Wiel Heitinga Mathijsen Bouma Van Bommel de Jong Sneijder Robben Van Persie Huntelaar

Captain Mark van Bommel

Penalty Taker Arjen Robben

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robin Van Persie is the second favourite to be the overall top goalscorer at Euro 2012 with Blue Square offering odds of 111 on the Arsenal captain so it stands to reason that he heads the market to be top scorer for the Dutch at 52 with the same firm

Premier League watchers will love those odds but Van Persie is likely to be used as an auxiliary striker in Poland and Ukraine with Klaas Jan Huntelaar preferred in the lsquonumber ninersquo role The Schalke striker scored an incredible 12 goals in just 8 qualifying matches and his goalscoring credentials have to be respected It is 41 at Coral that Huntelaar finishes Euro 2012 as top scorer for Netherlands and that looks like the best bet at the prices Wesley Sneijder (91 Bet Victor) and Arjen Robben (71 bet365) hold strong claims but all being well they should be providing the ammunition for KJH

Bettingpro Verdict

Netherlands are real contenders and it would be no surprise to see them go one better than they did in South Africa and lift the trophy this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 32

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

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11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 34: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Runner Up (2004)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Lviv Germany v Portugal (1945)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Kharkiv Portugal v Netherlands (1945)

Form WWWWLDWDD

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Cristiano Ronaldo (7 Goals)

PortugalOdds to win Euro 2012 - 201 Bet Victor

Portugal bounced back from a disappointing start to qualifying and earned their spot in Euro 2012 but their stay on Poland and Ukraine could be short-lived The Portuguese have often been a team to fear at major tournaments but they have been drawn alongside both Germany and Holland in Group B meaning it will be a tough task to even reach the knockout stage Denmark are the other team in the four-team group

How They Qualified

Portugal needed a two-legged play-off against Bosnia to book their place in the Euro 2012 finals Portugal made a poor start as they were held to a shock 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus and things got worse when they slopped to a 1-0 defeat in Norway

Coach Carlos Queiroz was subsequently replaced by Paulo Bento and the change seemed to do the trick as Portugal responded by embarking on a five-game winning run that kept them in the hunt for a place in Poland and Ukraine Following a defeat Denmark Portugal were drawn to face Bosnia in the play-offs and having drawn the first leg 0-0 they booked their place in the finals with a 6-2 second-leg victory

Manager

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Bento took charge during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 replacing Carlos Queiroz after the Portuguese had taken just one point from their first two games Bentorsquos arrival breathed new life into the team and they went unbeaten through the rest of qualifying winning seven games and losing just one to ensure they would be in Poland and Ukraine this summer

Star Players

Portugal boast the services of one of the best footballers on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona rival Lionel Messi have been put in a class above the rest of the talents in the game but the

FIFA Ranking 5

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 33

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 35: Euro 2012 betting guide

Portugal winger is yet to light up a major international tournament despite his reputation

The former Manchester United star helped himself to nine games during the qualifying campaign but Paulo Bento needs his biggest name to deliver when it truly matters There is nothing that Ronaldo cannot do and there will be plenty of pressure on him to perform when Portugal seek to get out of what is a very tough Euro 2012 group

Bento will also be hoping for some impressive displays from two players based in the English Premier League Raul Meireles of Chelsea and Nani of Manchester United Both men were ever-present during qualifying and will again be key figures during this tournament

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting) Eduardo (Benfica) Beto (Cluj)

Defenders Joao Pereira (Sporting) Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg) Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Pepe (Real Madrid) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Rolando (Porto) Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders Carlos Martins (Granada) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Miguel Veloso (Genoa) Raul Meireles (Chelsea) Ruben Micael (Zaragoza) Custodio (Braga)

Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Hugo Almeida (Besiktas) Helder Postiga (Zaragoza) Nani (Manchester United) Nelson Oliveira (Benfica) Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) Silvestre Varela (Porto)

Expected Starting Team

Eduardo Coentrao Pepe Bruno Alves Pereira Veloso Moutinho Meireles Nani Ronaldo Postiga

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalty Taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cristiano Ronaldo The Real Madrid striker scored 46 goals in La Liga this season and will be involved in absolutely everything that Portugal do this summer He will take charge of all free-kicks and penalties and if he could take the corners and head them in then he would do that as well He is 158 at Sporting Bet to be the top scorer for Portugal and 201 with Blue Square to be the tournamentrsquos top goalscorer If Portugal are to have any chance of winning Euro 2012 then he will have to do both

Bettingpro Verdict

Portugal have the star names but they failed to convince in qualifying and havenrsquot done much since to convince that they can qualify from a very tough group despite the presence of Ronaldo

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 34

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 36: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1992)

Group B

bull Germanybull Netherlandsbull Portugalbull Denmark

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Saturday June 9Kharkiv Netherlands v Denmark (1700)

Wednesday June 13Lviv Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Sunday June 17Lviv Denmark v Germany (1945)

Form WWWWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nicklas Bendtner amp Dennis Rommedahl (3 Goals)

DenmarkOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Ladbrokes

Denmark were shock winners of the European Championship back in 1992 but the chances of them making it past the group stage in Poland and Ukraine look slim The Danes have been grouped with Germany Holland and Portugal but they will have taken some confidence from finishing above Portugal during qualifying for this competition

How They Qualified

Denmark secured automatic qualification to Euro 2012 by finishing as surprise winners of their group The Danes were expected to finish second behind Portugal but instead capitalised on a slow start from the Portuguese ndash who took one point from their first two games ndash and never looked back

They opened up with a win over Iceland before losing 3-1 in Portugal but Morten Olsenrsquos men responded well by taking four points from their next two games with a win over Cyprus and draw against Norway The Danes then stepped up a gear and reeled off four consecutive wins with the last one a 2-1 victory against Portugal that wrapped up the group

Manager

Morten Olsen is one of the longest serving coaches in international football having now entered his 12th year as boss of Denmark Having tasted success at club level with Brondby and Ajax Olsen took charge of the Danish national team back in 2000

The 62-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes during his reign Olsen has taken the team into the knockout stages at both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 but there have been the disappointments of missing out on both the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 They failed to progress from the group stage at the 2010 World Cup but that did not stop the Danish FA from handing Olsen a contract extension that will expire in 2014

FIFA Ranking 10

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 35

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

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4 Privacy Policy

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We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

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YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 37: Euro 2012 betting guide

Star Players

This could well be the tournament in which Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen makes a name for himself on the big stage Eriksen who will be 20 when the tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine has become a regular starter for both club and country over the past 12 month with many likening him to Danish legend Michael Laudrup

Eriksen played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Portugal that secured Denmarkrsquos place in Euro 2012 The young midfielder outshone star names like Cristiano Ronaldo in that match wreaking havoc on the Portuguese defence throughout the 90 minutes If he can reproduce that form in this tournament then Europersquos biggest clubs are certain to come calling during the summer months

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) Stephan Andersen (Evian) Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United)

Defenders Simon Kjaer (Roma) Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) Lars Jacobsen (Copenhagen) Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland) Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland) Daniel Wass (Evian)

Midfielders Christian Poulsen (Evian) William Kvist (Stuttgart) Christian Eriksen (Ajax) Lasse Schone (NEC) Michael Silberbauer (Young Boys) Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland) Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian) Niki Zimling (Club Brugge)

Forwards Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby) Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland) Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) Tobias Mikkelsen (Nordsjaelland)

Expected Starting Team

Andersen Kjaer Agger S Poulsen Wass C Poulsen Eriksen Zimling Schone Rommedahl Bendtner Captain Daniel Agger

Penalty Taker Christian Poulsen

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Denmark arenrsquot expected to score many goals at Euro 2012 and it is no surprise to see No Goalscorer priced as low as 71 with some firms Bet Victor are however a stand out 91 that no Dane hits the net in Ukraine and that could be the best play on Morten Olsenrsquos side

Nicklas Bendtner is a threat but there are limits to how often the Sunderland striker can continue to perform poorly at club level and still score for the national The fact that he is 72 favourite at Betfred to be the teamrsquos top scorer and the next nearest in the betting is 91 chance Dennis Rommedahl shows the paucity of Denmarkrsquos attacking options The value bet is therefore that the Danes exit Euro 2012 without a goal to their name

Bettingpro Verdict

No repeat of 1992rsquos heroics for this Denmark squad and thanks to a tough group they will do well to even claim a point

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 36

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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6 Indemnity

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 38: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1964 2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form WWWWLDWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying David Villa (7 Goals)

SpainOdds to win Euro 2012 - 31 Bet Victor

World champions Spain will be looking to successfully retain the European crown they won back in 2008 and they face a tricky group campaign after being drawn in Group C alongside Italy the Republic of Ireland and Croatia However that has not stopped them from being made the bookmakersrsquo favourite to leave PolandUkraine with the title of European Champions once again

How They Qualified

Reigning European champions Spain cruised through their Group I qualifying campaign with a perfect 8-0 record They were overwhelming favourites to progress from the group and made a fine start with heavy wins over Liechtenstein and Lithuania before surviving a scare against Scotland

The Spaniards surrendered a two-goal lead at Hampden Park but rescued a 3-2 win through a Fernando Llorente goal and they reached the halfway point with a perfect record with a hard-fought win over the Czech Republic Lithuania and Liechtenstein were again swept aside as they wrapped up a place in Euro 2012 and they closed out the campaign with routine wins over the Czech Republic and Scotland

Manager

Spain have enjoyed considerable success over the past four years and coach Vicente Del Bosque has played a major role Del Bosque faced a difficult task in succeeding Luis Aragones after Spainrsquos Euro 2008 success but the 50-year-old former Real Madrid boss rose to the challenge and made history by winning his first 13 games in charge

He then put himself above all of his predecessors by guiding his team to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa the first time Spain have won world footballrsquos biggest prize Del Bosque now has his sights set on a Euro 2012 success that would make Spain the first team in history to win three straight major international tournaments

FIFA Ranking 1

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 37

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 39: Euro 2012 betting guide

Star Players

Ever-present David Villa was the star man for the Spaniards as his seven-goal haul helped them successfully negotiate the qualifying stage However the Barcelona star is now facing up to the prospect of missing Euro 2012 after sustaining a broken shinbone during the Club World Cup at the end of last year Villa

Villarsquos absence poses selection problems for Del Bosque Fernando Torres is his preferred option in attack and the Spaniardrsquos goal against Barcelona in the semi finals of the Champions League has greatly enhanced his prospects of starting in attack although there is also the option of playing Manchester Cityrsquos David Silva in the lsquofalse ninersquo role in which Lionel Messi excels for Barcelona Both men will certainly have a part to play should Spain retain the Henry Delaunay trophy this summer

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Pepe Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona)

Defenders Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Juanfran (Atletico Madrid) Jordi Alba (Valencia) Raul Albiol (Real Madrid) Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)

Midfielders Xavi (Barcelona) Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) David Silva (Manchester City) Santi Cazorla (Malaga) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Pedro (Barcelona) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) Fernando Torres (Chelsea) Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Expected Starting Team

Casillas Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba Alonso Xavi Busquets Iniesta Silva Torres

Captain Iker Casillas

Penalty Taker Xabi Alonso

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Much will depend on who Del Bosque chooses in attack but the signs look good for Fernando Torres who snuck into the squad thanks to Chelsearsquos Champions League exploits The striker scored after just 11 minutes of a recent warm-up match with South Korea and odds of 92 with Bet Victor that Torres top scores for Spain are tempting given his experience

However Fernando Llorente leads the market at 72 with bet365 which suggests that the Athletic Bilbao striker could be preferred at least initially to Torres One player who will certainly play in a forward role is David Silva The Manchester City striker has had his best ever season in the Premier League and will be Spainrsquos key man in Poland and Ukraine He may even be given the lsquoLionel Messirsquo false nine role which he played to such good effect against Scotland in qualifying (a match in which Silva scored twice) This would enhance his already excellent scoring prospects and at 121 with Stan James he looks to be the stand-out bet in a Spanish side that may spread out their goals

Bettingpro Verdict

The obvious favourites but there are question marks over both the defence and attack which could prevent the Spaniards from a third successive international tournament

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 38

Spain13 Money13 Back13 Special13 ndash13 BetVictor

Get13 your13 money13 back13 on13 all13 losing13 single13 Euro13 201213 match13 bets13 if13 Spain13 retain13 the13 tle13 as13 European13 Champions

Claim13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 40: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winner (1968)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Gdansk Spain v Italy (1700)

Thursday June 14 Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form LWWWDWWLL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Antonio Cassano (6 Goals)

ItalyOdds to win Euro 2012 - 141 William Hill

Once a powerhouse of World and European football Italy will be desperate to make amends for their pitiful showing at the 2010 World Cup where they bowed out after the group stage Coach Cesare Prandelli has sparked new life into the team and the Italians will have to be at their best to get through a difficult Group C that consists of Spain the Republic of Ireland and Croatia

How They Qualified

Italy put their World Cup misery behind them as they negotiated qualifying Group C with an unbeaten record Prandellirsquos charges edged past Estonia in Tallinn before romping to a home win over the Faroe Islands but they suffered a slight setback when they were held to a goalless draw in Northern Ireland

They were returned to winning ways in their next match against Serbia although they did not earn the points on the pitch The Italians were awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to crowd disturbances involving Serbian supporters

Wins over Slovenia Estonia and the Faroe Islands followed and they secured their place in Euro 2012 with two games to spare thanks to a 1-0 home win against the Slovenians Italy then wrapped up their qualifying campaign as a draw with Serbia and a comfortable win over Northern Ireland maintained their unbeaten record

Manager

Former Roma and Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli was handed the task of turning around Italyrsquos fortunes following the departure of veteran coach Marcello Lippi in July 2010 Italian football had been left reeling by a domestic match-fixing scandal and the national teamrsquos dreadful display at the 2010 World Cup

Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning world champions but they fell at the very first hurdle by finishing bottom of a group that consisted of Paraguay

FIFA Ranking 12

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 39

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

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Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 41: Euro 2012 betting guide

Slovakia and New Zealand Prandelli has so far succeeded in getting Italy back on track and an unbeaten qualifying record over the past two years has shown they can be force in the national game once again

Star Players

Italy conceded just two goals during qualifying and ever-present defender Giorgio Chiellini was a huge influence as he transferred his excellent club form with Juventus onto the international stage The 27-year-old was a rock at the heart of the Italiansrsquo defence throughout their 10 qualifying games and he will be vital to their cause as they look to become European champions for the first time since 1968

Top scorer in qualifying Antonio Cassanorsquos return from heart surgery in time for the tournament ensures that there will no shortage of ammunition for headline writers but the key player for Italy will undoubtedly be Mario Balotelli The Manchester City striker seems to attract controversy and he has already threatened to walk off the pitch if he suffers any racist abuse in Poland and Ukraine His talent is however unquestionable and a good Euro 2012 could be the making of Balotelli as a bona fide superstar

Euro 2012 Squad Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders Ignazio Abate (AC Milan) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Andrea Barzagli (Juventus) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) Christian Maggio (Napoli) Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)

Midfielders Daniele De Rossi (Roma) Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna) Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus) Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Thiago Motta (Paris St Germain) Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) Fabio Borini (Roma) Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) Sebastian Giovinco (Parma)

Expected Starting Team

Gianluigi Buffon Andrea Barzagli Leonardo Bonucci Giorgio Chiellini Christian Maggio Thiago Motta Andrea Pirlo Claudio Marchisio Riccardo Montolivo Antonio Cassano Mario Balotelli

Captain Gianluigi Buffon

Penalty Taker Mario Balotelli

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Cesare Prandelli has claimed that he will build the team around Mario Balotelli and that would suggest that the Manchester City striker should be backed at 92 with Stan James There is every reason to believe that this is a good price as Balotelli will selfishly want to be involved in all Italian set-pieces and will take any penalty kicks He has the skill and physical presence to cause problems for Ireland and Croatia in the group stage and that should be enough to see him top score in a low scoring side

Bettingpro Verdict

Italy arenrsquot really good enough to challenge the top sides but they should still make it through a fairly straightforward group

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 40

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 42: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Quarter Finals (2008)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italy bull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Poznan Italy v Croatia (1700)

Monday June 18 Gdansk Croatia v Spain (1945)

Form W L D W D D W

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Nico Kranjcar (5 Goals)

CROATIAOdds to win Euro 2012 - 551 Sky Bet

Croatia are returning to the major international stage after missing out on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa However they are likely to make a swift exit from Euro 2012 after being handed an incredibly tough draw for the group stage in Poland and Ukraine Not only have Slaven Bilicrsquos men been grouped with World and European champions Spain they will also have to face Italy and the Republic of Ireland

How They Qualified

Croatia were strong in qualifying racking up seven group victories but they were forced to settle for second place in Group F and had to negotiate a two-legged play-off with Turkey to progress to Euro 2012

They went unbeaten through their first four qualifying matches recording wins over Latvia Israel and Malta while drawing with eventual group winners Greece but they suffered a setback when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Georgia

They gained revenge in their very next match and followed up that victory with wins over Malta and Israel but a 2-0 defeat to Greece in their penultimate game all-but ended Croatiarsquos hopes of automatically reaching Euro 2012 They closed out the group campaign with a home win against Latvia and a 3-0 aggregate win over Turkey ensured they would be part of this summerrsquos showpiece tournament

Manager

Slaven Bilic is in his sixth year as manager of the Croatian national team but he almost quit the job following the European Championship four years ago Croatia had been made favourites to win the competition after winning all three of their group games but they were dumped out by Turkey in the quarter-finals with reports later suggesting they had not taken the Turks seriously

There appeared to be a hangover as they missed out on the 2010 World Cup

FIFA Ranking 8

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 41

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 43: Euro 2012 betting guide

but Bilic again remained in charge and his players have rewarded him by ensuring a return to major competition

Star Player

Tottenham Hotspur star Luka Modric will be the man opponents must stop when the tournament gets under way Playmaker Modric has bounced back from last summerrsquos transfer saga and has been in top form for Spurs this season helping Harry Redknapprsquos men finish in the top four of the Premier League

The 26-year-old has it all and is widely considered one of the best players in the world Modric can turn a game on its head in an instant due to his incisive passing and creativity and his pace is not something to be overlooked either If Modric shines there is a chance that the Croatians could pull off an upset and book their place in the knockout stage of Euro 2012

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov) Ivan Kelava (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Danijel Subašić (AS Monaco FC)

Defenders Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa FC) Vedran Ćorluka (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Danijel Pranjić (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt) Josip Šimunić (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Ivan Strinić (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Domagoj Vida (GNK Dinamo Zagreb)

Midfielders Milan Badelj (GNK Dinamo Zagreb) Tomislav Dujmović (FC Dinamo Moskva) Ivo Iličević (Hamburger SV) Niko Kranjčar (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC) Ivan Perišić (Borussia Dortmund) Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla FC) Ognjen Vukojević (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Eduardo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Nikica Jelavić (Everton FC) Mario Mandžukić (VfL Wolfsburg) Ivica Olić (VfL Wolfsburg)

Expected Starting Team

Pletikosa Strinic Simunic Schildenfeld Corluka Modric Vukojevic Kranjcar Srna Jelavic Mandzukic

Nikica Jelavic has been well backed to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 after a good run of form since signing for Everton in January The former Rangers striker is now a best price of 501 at Betfred in the outright market

Jelavic is the 51 favourite at Boylesports to be Croatiarsquos top scorer this summer although the fact that he hasnrsquot found the net for his country since 2010 and that he is not a guaranteed starter (Bilic preferred Olic and Eduardo in qualifying) makes him difficult to back

There are however enough doubts over Eduardo Manzukic and Olicrsquos form to dissuade from bets on any of Croatiarsquos other strikers so it might be worth looking at one of the fancier prices on those from midfield Nico Kranjcar a constant let down at club level for Tottenham Hotspur netted four times in qualifying and he is a player that tends to save his best for the national team His ability from distance means that he will be a threat even when his side canrsquot get near the goal (as will be likely against Spain and Italy) and odds of 201 at Coral look a little big on Croatiarsquos most attacking midfielder

Bettingpro Verdict

Croatia are a good side with some talented footballers but they lack the defensive solidity to survive in Group C An early exit beckons

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 42

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

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4 Privacy Policy

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We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 44: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Group Stage (1988)

Group C

bull Spainbull Italybull Croatiabull Republic of Ireland

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Sunday June 10Poznan Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Thursday June 14Gdansk Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Monday June 18Poznan Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Form DDDWWWDDW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Robbie Keane (7 Goals)

Republic of IrelandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 1001 Sporting Bet

The Republic of Ireland will end a 10-year-year exile from major international tournaments when they take to the pitch for the first time at Euro 2012 However their stay at this tournament is likely to be a short one after they were drawn in Group C alongside reigning World and European champions Spain Italy and Croatia

How They Qualified

The Republic of Ireland needed 12 matches to secure their place in this summerrsquos tournament putting their play-off heartache of 2009 behind them as they advanced from the qualifying stage Ireland came out firing with wins over Armenia and Andorra before a 3-2 home loss to Russia halted their momentum but they responded with a draw in Slovakia before returning to winning ways by doing the double over Macedonia

A brave display in Russia earned them a goalless draw and they followed that up with wins over Andorra and Armenia to ensure a place in the play-offs Having controversially crashed out of the World Cup qualifying play-offs two years prior Ireland were in no mood to mess around and romped to a 4-0 first-leg victory in Estonia A 1-1 draw in the second leg was more than enough to book their place in Euro 2012 sparking scenes of celebration at the Aviva Stadium

Manager

The arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni has had a huge impact on the Republic of Irelandrsquos national team The Italian may not have received the attention fellow countryman Fabio Capello got when he took charge of England but arguably has a better record

Ireland were unbeaten during the group stage of qualifying for World Cup 2010 but they crashed out to France in the play-offs after Thierry Henryrsquos handball went unnoticed by the officials Trapattoni and his men dusted

FIFA Ranking 18

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 43

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

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4 Privacy Policy

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You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 45: Euro 2012 betting guide

themselves off and ensured there would be no near-miss this time and the veteran Italian can add this accomplishment to the many he earned at club level with the likes of AC Milan Juventus Inter Milan and Benfica

Star Players

When it comes to the Republic of Ireland their star man is undoubtedly striker Robbie Keane The former Tottenham and West Ham United striker who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy is Irelandrsquos all-time leading goalscorer with 53 to his name and the 31-year-old a talisman when it comes to the national team

He notched seven goals during the qualifying campaign and if the likes of winger Aiden McGeady can provide the ammunition at Euro 2012 Keane will be adding to his Ireland haul in Poland and Ukraine

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Shay Given (Aston Villa) Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) David Forde (Millwall)

Defenders John OShea (Sunderland) Stephen Kelly (Fulham) Stephen Ward (Wolves) Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Sean St Ledger (Leicester) Darren ODea (Leeds) Paul McShane (Hull City)

Midfielders Glenn Whelan (Stoke) Keith Andrews (West Brom) Paul Green (Derby County) Darron Gibson (Everton) Damien Duff (Fulham) Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow) Stephen Hunt (Wolves) James McClean (Sunderland)

Forwards Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) Kevin Doyle (Wolves) Shane Long Simon Cox (both West Brom) Jon Walters (Stoke)

Expected Starting Team

Given OrsquoShea Dunne St Ledger Kelly Whelan Andrews Duff McGeady Doyle Keane

Captain Robbie Keane

Penalty Taker Robbie Keane

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Robbie Keane is Republic of Irelandrsquos record goalscorer with an impressive 53 goals in 116 matches for his country He finished top scorer in qualifying and he is 72 at Coral to be the top scorer at Euro 2012 Kevin Doyle a 91 chance at bet365 has been poor at club level and there are calls for the Wolves striker to be dropped in favour of Shane Long (121 Sporting Bet) but Giovanni Trappatoni is unlikely to yield to public pressure

That means that it will be all down to Keane to score the goals that Ireland need to have any hope of progressing from a very difficult group However it is easy to imagine the Boys in Green failing to find the net in the opener against Croatia and it is difficult to then see them making any inroads against Spain or Italy Therefore No Goalscorer at odds of 152 with Paddy Power screams value

Bettingpro Verdict

The supporters will do the nation proud in Poland but they wonrsquot be seeing any more than three matches this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 44

Text13 lsquoMAXrsquo13 to13 5150013 for13 an13 instant13 europound13 5013 free13 bet13 from13 Boylesports

(Irish13 amp13 UK13 Mobiles)

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 46: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships First Appearance

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form LLWWDWWWL

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying NA

UkraineOdds to win Euro 2012 - 501 bet365

Joint hosts Ukraine will be aiming to make an impression at Euro 2012 but the chances are they will not sticking around long to do it The Ukrainians are making only their second appearance in a major tournament since independence in 1991 and getting out of a Group D consisting of France England and Sweden looks like a big ask

How They Qualified

Obviously as joint hosts Ukraine did not have to qualify for this tournament and have instead been participating in friendly matches over the past two years Trying to gauge a teamrsquos ability from these matches is a difficult task but there have been a couple of interesting friendlies in the past 24 months ndash against group foes France and Sweden

They crashed to a 4-1 defeat when they played host to France in June 2011 while two games against the Swedes brought mixed results The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Sweden on February 2011 but the more telling result could be Ukrainersquos 1-0 defeat on home soil several months later

Manager

Oleh Blokhin the record cap-holder and goal-scorer for the old Soviet Union is in his second spell as coach of the Ukrainian national team During his first reign as coach Blokhin led them to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup where they eventually lost to winners Italy He departed after they failed to reach Euro 2008 but accepted the chance to return in April 2011 after Yuriy Kalitvintsev had led the team on a caretaker basis for eight games

Star Players

The big-name player in the Ukrainian fold is former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko The 35-year-old has had a tough time with injuries since returning to Dynamo Kiev but a starring role at a major tournament would be a fitting end to one of the most glittering careers in European football

FIFA Ranking 50

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 45

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

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Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

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This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

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WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 47: Euro 2012 betting guide

Shevchenko is not the only veteran player eyeing an early exit so are the likes of Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Olexandr Shovkovski But for some especially rising star Andriy Yarmolenko this will be their chance to announce their arrival on the international stage

Ukraine Euro 2012 squad

Goalkeepers Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Defenders Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil) Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava) Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol) Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern Muumlnchen) Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva) Marko Dević (FC Metalist Kharkiv) Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk) Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)

Expected Starting Team

Captain Andriy Shevchenko

Penalty Taker Andriy Shevchenko

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

There will be plenty of people willing to place a bet on Andrey Shevchenko to call time on his career by top scoring for Ukraine in their home tournament but bet365 have set odds of 101 for a reason The Dynamo Kiev striker will start the opener against Sweden but he is unlikely to manage 90-minutes in any match this summer and he no longer possesses the pace required to play at the top level Instead the men to focus on for Ukraine are Andriy Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy

Both play for Dynamo Kiev and Oleg Blohkin will be hoping that the understanding built up at club level will translate to the international stage Milevskiy is the more experienced of the pair and can be backed at 101 with Bwin to be Ukrainersquos top scorer but Yarmolenko is the real star of the side The 22-year-old has scored 8 goals in 20 games for his country and he is probably the only player in the Ukraine side capable of scoring a goal out of nothing which may be needed given the toughness of Group D It is 61 at Bwin that he is Ukrainersquos top scorer this summer and he may manage it with just one goal

Bettingpro Verdict

Will be a major shock if the hosts can qualify from Group D

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 46

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

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YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

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YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

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11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

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We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 48: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships 3rd Placed (1996)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19Donetsk England v Ukraine (1945)

Form DDWWDWWLW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Jermain Defoe Darren Bent Wayne Rooney Ashley Young (3 Goals)

EnglandOdds to win Euro 2012 - 121 Paddy Power

It will be Roy Hodgson and not Fabio Capello that will be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 with the West Brom manager leaving The Hawthorns for a new role as national manager He has had little time to select a squad and prepare his team for the European Championships although he remains confident that the Three Lions can get out of the group stage

England have been drawn alongside France Sweden and Ukraine in Group D and while they are expected to reach the knockout stage it is unlikely that they will head home with the silverware

How They Qualified

England negotiated the qualifying Group G with an unbeaten record but Fabio Capellorsquos men were largely uninspiring during the eight-game campaign They opened with victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland before being held to a goalless home draw by Montenegro but they bounced back in the next game with a win over Wales

Another disappointing Wembley outing saw them held by Switzerland but they again responded on the road with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria England completed their home fixtures with an unimpressive win over Wales and a 2-2 draw in Montenegro was enough to ensure their passage

Manager

When Roy Hodgson was sacked as manager of Liverpool FC eighteen months ago he cannot have imagined that he would eventually be taking charge of England at Euro 2012 although West Brom opted for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgsons stock has once again risen back to the levels he enjoyed while in charge of Fulham

Now he has selected a 23-man England squad that can do the country proud at Euro 2012 with Hodgson likely to pair Gary Cahill alongside John Terry in the

FIFA Ranking 7

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 47

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 49: Euro 2012 betting guide

heart of the England defence while Andy Carroll may well deputise for Wayne Rooney in those first two group games which will see the Three Lions face France and Sweden

Star Players

Wayne Rooney has often been the focal point when it comes to Englandrsquos chances at a major tournament but the Manchester United striker is yet to truly deliver on the biggest stages in international football despite him being regularly ranked in the same bracket as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

He flopped badly at the 2010 World Cup with a string of disappointing displays ndash with his most notable contribution being a rant at supporters after he left the field following a game ndash and he will not get much time make an impact in Poland and Ukraine

Rooney saw red in Englandrsquos final qualifying match after stupidly kicking an opponent and he was hit with a three-match ban that ruled him out of the group stage and left Fabio Capello pondering whether or not to leave the forward at home

An appeal successfully reduced the suspension to two games meaning Rooney will appear in the final group match but he could find himself on the outside looking in if the Three Lions have performed well without him

England squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers Joe Hart (Manchester City) Richard Green (West Ham Utd) Jack Butland (Birmingham City)

Defenders Glen Johnson (Liverpool) John Terry (Chelsea) Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Phil Jones (Manchester United) Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Leighton Baines (Everton) Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ashley Young (Manchester United) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Stewart Downing (Liverpool) Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) James Milner (Manchester City) Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Strikers Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Expected Starting Team

Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Parker Gerrard Milner Walcott Young Carroll Captain Steven Gerrard

Penalty Taker Steven Gerrard

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

It seems absolutely ridiculous that Wayne Rooney can be a top price of 61 at Stan James to Englandrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 despite the fact that he will miss the opening two matches of the tournament But who else is capable of scoring for the Three Lions

The obvious answer is Ashley Young who netted the only goal in a recent friendly against Norway and is 71 at Blue Square The Manchester United star was joint top scorer in qualifying and in the absence of Rooney will be played further forward in the opening two matches

However it is possibly worth chancing Steven Gerrard at a generous 91 with the same firm With Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry both missing there is no chance that the captain will be dropped for any matches and he will be the one midfielder asked to push forward and support Andy Carroll Gerrard will also be in charge of all set-pieces in Ukraine and with Youngrsquos lsquoabilityrsquo to win penalties that could be crucial

Bettingpro Verdict

No surprises from England A few underwhelming performances in the group stage before being knocked out by a side who are technically superior

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 48

Ladbrokes13 are13 refunding13 Euro13 201213 betsif13 England13 win13 the13 tournament13 Bet13 here

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 50: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Winners (1984 2000)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Donetsk France v England (1700)

Friday June 15 Donetsk Ukraine v France (1700)

Tuesday June 19Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form DWDWDWDWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Karim Benzema Yoann Gourcuff amp Florent Malouda (3 Goals)

FranceOdds to win Euro 2012 - 111 Ladbrokes

France are heading to Euro 2012 with the intention of re-establishing themselves among the elite of international football The French enjoyed a successful period at the turn of the century with a World Cup win followed by glory at Euro 2000 but things have gone downhill in spectacular fashion over the past several years

However Laurent Blanc appears to have turned things around and they will be desperate to progress from Group D at Euro 2012 in which they face England Sweden and Ukraine

How They Qualified

Two-time European champions France survived a late scare to qualify from Group D They opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus but rebounded with four straight wins completing the double over Luxembourg after beating both Bosnia and Romania

The second half of the campaign proved to be an awkward one as they failed to string victories together drawing with Belarus and Romania while beating Albania twice and that meant they faced a crucial final-game clash with Bosnia France fell behind in the game but just as it looked as though they would be facing a two-legged play-off Samir Nasri kept his nerve to score a penalty that sent them through with a 1-1 draw

Manager

Laurent Blanc was named successor to Raymond Domenech following a shambolic appearance at the 2010 World Cup France were not at the tournament long crashing out after the group stage but they did find time in South Africa to produce a player revolt that saw the squad walk out on training

There were also reports of dressing room bust-ups most notably between Domenech and Nicolas Anelka and that left Blanc with much to do when he

FIFA Ranking 16

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 49

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 51: Euro 2012 betting guide

took the reins However the former Manchester United and Inter Milan star has got France back on track and he will be keen to see them make an impact in Poland and Ukraine even if they do head home empty-handed

Star Players

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has kick-started his career in the past year and this is his chance to shine on one of international footballrsquos biggest stages Benzema emerged as a hot prospect while with French side Lyon and was linked with a number of Europersquos most famous clubs but his move to Madrid did not go as planned at first and he found himself out of favour with club boss Jose Mourinho and then national team coach Raymond Domenech

The forward was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup but he is now living up to his potential and has forced his way into Madridrsquos starting XI on a regular basis Benzema featured in seven of Francersquos Euro 2012 qualifiers netting three times and is expected to be part of a strong French attacking corp that will also include Samir Nasir Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez who were part of the lsquogolden generationrsquo that won the 2004 Under 17 European Championship

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Ceacutedric Carrasso (Bordeaux) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders Gaeumll Clichy (Manchester City) Mathieu Debuchy (Lille) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) Philippe Mexes (Milan) Adil Rami (Valencia) Anthony Reacuteveillegravere (Lyon)

Midfielders Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Alou Diarra (Marseille) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Marvin Martin (Sochaux) Blaise Matuidi (Paris St-Germain) Yann MVila (Rennes) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) Jeacutereacutemy Meacutenez (Paris St-Germain) Franck Ribeacutery (Bayern Munich) Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Expected Starting Team

Lloris Clichy Mexes Rami Debuchy Diarra MrsquoVila Nasri Malouda Ribery Benzema

Captain Hugo Lloris

Penalty Taker Samir Nasri

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Karim Benzema is one of the favourites to finish as the top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and can be backed at 161 with Bet Victor in that market It is therefore no surprise to see him installed as the favourite to top score for France with only Blue Square brave enough to offer 31 on the Real Madrid striker

However Benzema only netted three times in qualifying and Francersquos style of play may see him with his back to goal more than hersquod like which opens up the market for some of the midfield players Samir Nasri the teamrsquos penalty taker is 141 with Blue Square while Florent Malouda (joint top scorer in qualifying) can be backed at 101 with Paddy Power

The man that could usurp them all though is Franck Ribery The Bayern Munich winger has been in scintillating form in the recent friendly matches scoring against both Iceland and Serbia and he appears to be enjoying the freedom of playing behind Benzema Ribery disappointed in South Africa but he is now a better player and looks ready to take responsibility for France At 101 with Sporting Bet he looks over-priced to be top scorer for Les Bleus

Bettingpro Verdict

France are the best team in Group D but their defence will let them down against the very top sides A semi final exit looks likely

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 50

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 52: Euro 2012 betting guide

Best Finish at European Championships Semi Final (1992)

Group D

bull Ukrainebull Englandbull Francebull Sweden

Fixtures at Euro 2012

Monday June 11Kiev Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Friday June 15 Kiev Sweden v England (1945)

Tuesday June 19 Kiev Sweden v France (1945)

Form LWWWLLWWW

Top Goalscorer in Qualifying Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 Goals)

SwedenOdds to win Euro 2012 - 661 bet365

Having missed out on the World Cup Sweden are making their return to action at a major international tournament They face a tough task after being drawn in Group D alongside France England and Ukraine and a recent friendly defeat to the Three Lions did little to suggest that this team will last long at Euro 2012

How They Qualified

Sweden booked their place in Euro 2012 in dramatic fashion beating Holland on the final night of qualifying in Group E The Swedes who missed out on the 2010 World Cup made a flying start to their European Championship qualifying campaign with wins over Hungary and San Marino but they were brought crashing back down to Earth with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Holland

They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Moldova before beating Finland but that winning run was ended by a disappointing defeat in Hungary Wins over San Marino and Finland meant Sweden went into the final game against Holland knowing that a win would ensure their progress as one of the best runners-up and Erik Hamrenrsquos men delivered with a 3-2 victory

Manager

Erik Hamren has enjoyed a successful start to life in charge of Swedenrsquos national team The former Aalborg and Rosenborg boss took charge in September 2010 after Lars Lagerback failed to take the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Having tasted success at club level Hamren has now ushered in a new era of Swedish football with some exciting talent at his disposal However this is his toughest test yet as Sweden have often failed to make any impression at major international tournaments

Star Players

This is a no-brainer AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic The outspoken striker once claimed he was the best player in the world and if Sweden are to

FIFA Ranking 17

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 51

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 53: Euro 2012 betting guide

have any chance of progressing they will need Ibrahimovic to live up to his words He played a key role in Sweden advancing to this tournament netting five times during the qualifying campaign and chances will certainly come his way with Kim Kallstrom in the side

Along with Germanyrsquos Mesut Ozil Lyon winger Kallstrom led the way with assists during qualifying setting up six goals for the Swedes If he can produce that kind of form and create openings for the strikers then Sweden can put themselves in the reckoning for a place in the knockout stage of the competition

Euro 2012 Squad

Goalkeepers Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven) Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen Paumlr Hansson (Helsingborg)

Defenders Mikael Lustig (Celtic) Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos) Andreas Granqvist (Genoa) Martin Olsson (Blackburn) Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich) Behrang Safari (Anderlecht) Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)

Midfielders Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar) Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Kim Kallstrom (Lyon) Anders Svensson (Elfsborg) Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB) Emir Bajrami (Twente) Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)

Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg) Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven) Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen)

Expected Starting Team

Isaksson Lustig Olsson Mellberg Granquist Larsson Elm Svensson Kallstrom Elmander Ibrahimovic

Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Penalty Taker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Top Team Goalscorer Tips

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 31 at Blue Square to be Swedenrsquos top goalscorer at Euro 2012 and that ranks as one of the outstanding bets on the tournament The AC Milan striker is the one world class player in Swedenrsquos squad and is possibly the only player capable of winning matches for them this summer Sunderland free-kick expert Seb Larsson is worth consideration at 141 with Betfred but if he scores more than Ibrahimovic then Sweden will have had a bad tournament

Bettingpro Verdict

Can only qualify from Group D if Ibrahimovic produces something special this summer

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 52

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 54: Euro 2012 betting guide

Expert PanelMatthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is the Managing Editor at Bettingprocom He arrived in 2010 having previously been Head of Marketing for leading bookmaker bet365 He has also worked in the

betting industry for Sporting Index and Betfair after originally starting out as a copy writer for Football365

Matthew will be writing feature articles throughout Euro 2012 in addition to working behind the scenes to make sure quality content is served up to Bettingpro readers He expects Germany to win Euro 2012 as theyrsquore on an upward curve England though has a 50 chance of qualifying from Group D under Roy Hodgson

Neil Roarty

Neil Roarty is the Chief Football Writer at Bettingprocom and began working for the company in 2009 He writes weekly previews and betting tips on English Spanish Italian

German and French football so he is familiar with all of the names and faces at Euro 2012

Throughout the tournament Neil will be writing previews and betting tips on every match in Ukraine and Poland as well as various feature articles He has backed Netherlands to win Euro 2012 after their disappointment in the final of the 2010 World Cup but his main bet will be on France winning Group D

Raymond Doyle

Raymond Doyle is the Managing E d i t o r o f E u r o p e a n -Championshipcom and is a regular contributor to Bettingprocom He graduated with a Masters in Marketing

before going on to be a copywriter and PR expert for Sports brands in Ireland

Raymond lives and breathes sport ndash if hersquos not playing football or Gaelic Football in Ireland hersquos talking or writing about sport Hersquos been lucky enough to interview Rep of Ireland and Liverpool legends Mark Lawrenson and Ray Houghton as well as Chris ldquoKammyrdquo Kamara from Sky Sports He is looking forward immensely to Euro 2012 where hersquoll be right in the middle of the action as he sets sail for Poland hoping his beloved Ireland can do the nation proud

Nick Wilby

N i ck W i l by i s a n E d i t o r a t Bettingprocom and arrived at the company in 2009 He specializes in racing and football betting and his work has appeared in some of the

nations leading magazines and newspapers

Nick will be looking for a profitable Euro 2012 after he backed England to spring a surprise and go all the way but his main bet is an each-way bet on Arjen Robben finishing top goal scorer and winning player of the tournament this summer

Jon Wilde

Jon Wilde has been a sports journalist since 1987 working for Raceform Eclipse Management Ltd the Press Associat ion Betfred and now Bettingprocom Jon has attended and

covered some of the major events in world sport and this summer he will be covering breaking Euro 2012 news for Bettingpro

Jon has edited official magazines for the British Olympic Association and the Professional Footballers Association while also working closely with high-profile sports and media personalities such as Martin Brundle and Steve Rider for publications they have fronted

Jon is backing France to win Euro 2012 and is also keen on Poland as the dark horse He is - sorry Irish fans ndash not holding out much hope for Republic of Ireland and expects them to struggle in Group C

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 53

mafhew_glazierneilroartyOddsPreviewnickwilbybe9ngpro

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 55: Euro 2012 betting guide

Terms amp Conditions

1 Acceptance of Terms of Use

Our book is provided to you subject to the following Terms of Use which may be updated by us By using this book and associated websites you agree to be bound by these terms of use

2 Disclaimer

This guide provides users with editorial content in the form of match previews news and links to sites We make no representations or warranties of any kind as to (a) the accuracy currency reliability or completeness of any information text graphics links or other items contained (b) the merchantability fitness for use title andor non-infringement of any or all of the products or promotions offered by third parties or (c) computer viruses bugs errors or defects in any software or services provided by ourselves or third parties which cause any damage to your computing device or other personal property All information contained at this web site is provided as is and without warranty of any kind

3 Your Obligations

This book is designed for individuals aged over 18 or older If you are under 18 you should not access this book

Operators listed in this book are likely to change their promotions rules and regulations on a regular basis Individual websites can and often will cancel a promotion without prior notice We recommend that you check the rules and restrictions on the web sites before playing on that site

Online operators of sports betting brands (collectively ldquoOperatorsrdquo) linked to here to our knowledge comply to with all local laws All Operators listed on this site do not to our knowledge operate within the United States of America and do not accept wagers from US citizens

By using this guide book and the Operators listed thereon you confirm you understand that it is possible to lose some or all of the monies deposited and wagered at these Operator websites and that you cannot and will not hold us responsible for such losses Any losses incurred as a result of your playing at online operators listed here are not our responsibility or our affiliated companies contractors or suppliers

By using this guide book you agree that you shall not (1) provide any content or conduct yourself in any way that may be (a) construed as unlawful threatening harmful abusive stalking tortuous defamatory libellous vulgar hateful obscene offensive racially ethnically or otherwise objectionable pornographic (b) designed to interfere or interrupt this web site or any service provided (c) infected with a virus or other computer code files or programs designed to interrupt destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware (d) giving rise to a civil or criminal liability or in violation of an applicable local national or international law (2) impersonate any person or entity including but not limited to an official forum leader or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your association with any person or entity forge or

otherwise seek to conceal or misrepresent the origin of any content provided by you (3) collect or harvest any data about other users of this web site (4) provide or use this guide for the provision of any content or service in any commercial manner or in any manner that would involve junk mail spam chain letters pyramid schemes or other form of unauthorized advertising without our prior written consent and (5) provide any content that may give rise to civil or criminal liability of our directors officers employees agents contractors advertisers partners or affiliated companies or that may constitute or be considered a violation of any local national or international law including but not limited to laws relating to copyright trademark patent or trade secrets

4 Privacy Policy

Please refer to our privacy policy on our website for details on how we handle your information when you visit our site

5 Third-Party Web Sites

We provide links to external web sites and resources We have no control over these external web sites and resources and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content advertising products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources You agree that you will be subject to any and all rules applicable to those web sites and you will not and cannot hold us responsible for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance of such content available on such web sites or resources

6 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our affiliated companies directors officers agents employees and partners harmless from any claim or demand including reasonable attorneys fees made by any third party due to or arising out of your conduct your provision of content your violation of these Terms of Use or your violation of any rights of another

7 No Resale of Service

You agree not to reproduce duplicate copy sell trade resell or exploit for any commercial purposes any portion of this web site including access to and use of this web site

8 Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS GUIDE AND OUR WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IS MADE AVAILABLE AND PROVIDED TO YOU AT YOUR OWN RISK IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS THAT ANY PART OF THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED ERROR-FREE VIRUS-FREE TIMELY SECURE ACCURATE RELIABLE OR OF ANY QUALITY NOR IS IT WARRANTED

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 54

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55

Page 56: Euro 2012 betting guide

EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPRESSLY THAT ANY CONTENT IS SAFE IN ANY MANNER FOR DOWNLOAD YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE SERVICE PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND AND THAT USE OF ANY ADVICE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED VIA THIS WEB SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT WE MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY WAY

Some jurisdictions may not allow disclaimers of implied warranties and certain statements in the above disclaimer may not apply to you as regards implied warranties the other terms and conditions remain enforceable notwithstanding

9 Limitation of Liability

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INDICENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR MONETARY LOSS LOSS OF PROFITS GOODWILL USE DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF (I) THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE (II) THE COST OF OBTAINING SUBSTITUTE GOODS ANDOR SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY TRANSACTION ENTERED INTO ON THROUGH THE SERVICE (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA TRANSMISSIONS (IV) STATEMENTS BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY USING THE SERVICE OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE

In some jurisdictions it is not permitted to limit liability and therefore such limitations may not apply to you

10 Reservation of Rights

We reserves all of its rights including but not limited to any and all copyrights trademarks patents trade secrets and any other proprietary rights that we may have for this web site its content and the goods and services that may be provided The use of our rights and property requires our prior written consent By making this web site and services available to you we are not providing you with any implied or express licenses or rights and you will have no rights to make any commercial uses of this web site or service without our prior written consent

11 Notification of Copyright Infringement

If you believe that your property has been used in any way that would be considered a copyright infringement or a violation of your intellectual property rights please contact us at newsbettingprocom We try to provide complete accurate and current information If you should observe any incomplete or inaccurate information we would greatly appreciate being notified We can be reached via e-mail at newsbettingprocom

12 Disclosure on how we earn money

We earn revenue using affiliate links In the interests of disclosure and ethics we want to be open about how we make money from our site Besides display advertising and other paid sponsorships we also sometimes get paid a commission if you purchase a product or use a service that we link to in our content

13 Restricted jurisdictions

Our guide book is not designed for residents of certain restricted jurisdictions including online players from the USA Puerto Rico Canada France Israel Italy Sweden Finland Denmark Norway Indonesia Iran Iraq Nigeria Romania Belarus Cuba Croatia Serbia Montenegro Sudan Virgin Islands (US) United Kingdom Russian Federation Czech Republic Turkey Hong Kong Australia Canada China Estonia Germany Spain India Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands South Korea Ukraine Macau and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 Applicable Law

You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of our products or services shall be governed and construed in accordance with the local laws in force where our headquarters are located without regard to its conflict of law provisions

Bettingprocomrsquos Guide to the Euro 2012 Championship Page 55