Portugal and Denmark seek to upset fancied Euro 2012 rivals
Dec 2, 2011, 21:27 GMT
Portugal coach Paul Bento said in Kyiv Friday it would be important to get a result in his side’s opening match in Group B against Germany in Lviv on June 9.
Meanwhile Denmark coach Morten Olsen said he hoped to be in a position to have everything still to play for when his side comes up against Germany in their last group game, also in Lviv, on June 17.
‘It is without doubt a difficult group with, in my view and also the view of the fans, two of the favourites in the Dutch and Germans,’ Olsen said.
Portugal were also a strong side with several world-class players, the former international said.
‘We played them twice in the qualification. They beat us in Portugal but we beat them in Copenhagen,’ he said.
‘We are the outsiders but perhaps we can play freely and cause a surprise. It is a group where teams can take points off each other.
‘I don’t think anyone of us was satisfied immediately after the draw. It is a very difficult group, a dynamite group we say in Denmark.’
Bento said the group was the strongest and the most evenly balanced.
‘Denmark finished above us in the last two tournament qualifiers,’ he said.
Meanwhile the Dutch were in the World Cup final while Germany had won more European titles than any other nation and between 2006 and 2010 were in the final or semi-finals of all major tournaments, Bento said.
‘We have a difficult job ahead of us if we want to reach the quarter-finals. We expect a lot of problems. The standard of this group is very, very high,’ he said.
Bento predicted hard-fought matches, adding: ‘We can only promise what I already said before the draw: We are going to the European Championship to compete. Above all we have to prepare well for the first game (against Germany). The first match is particularly important.’
‘;
PrintArticle();//–
Kyiv – Portugal and Denmark are out to upset old rivals Germany and the Netherlands who will be favourites to advance from the toughest group at Euro 2012.
Portugal coach Paul Bento said in Kyiv Friday it would be important to get a result in his side’s opening match in Group B against Germany in Lviv on June 9.
Meanwhile Denmark coach Morten Olsen said he hoped to be in a position to have everything still to play for when his side comes up against Germany in their last group game, also in Lviv, on June 17.
‘It is without doubt a difficult group with, in my view and also the view of the fans, two of the favourites in the Dutch and Germans,’ Olsen said.
Portugal were also a strong side with several world-class players, the former international said.
‘We played them twice in the qualification. They beat us in Portugal but we beat them in Copenhagen,’ he said.
‘We are the outsiders but perhaps we can play freely and cause a surprise. It is a group where teams can take points off each other.
‘I don’t think anyone of us was satisfied immediately after the draw. It is a very difficult group, a dynamite group we say in Denmark.’
Bento said the group was the strongest and the most evenly balanced.
‘Denmark finished above us in the last two tournament qualifiers,’ he said.
Meanwhile the Dutch were in the World Cup final while Germany had won more European titles than any other nation and between 2006 and 2010 were in the final or semi-finals of all major tournaments, Bento said.
‘We have a difficult job ahead of us if we want to reach the quarter-finals. We expect a lot of problems. The standard of this group is very, very high,’ he said.
Bento predicted hard-fought matches, adding: ‘We can only promise what I already said before the draw: We are going to the European Championship to compete. Above all we have to prepare well for the first game (against Germany). The first match is particularly important.’
