Platini seeks reassurance on Euro 2012

Published on Tuesday 1 July 2008 23:29

UEFA president Michel Platini is to meet officials from the Polish and Ukrainian Football Associations this week amid growing unease about the respective countries' ability to host Euro 2012.

After dubbing Euro 2008 the 'friendly finals', Platini is anxious to maintain standards. He is known to be unhappy about preparations for Euro 2012 and the feeling is work in both countries has been too slow.

Platini will visit Poland tomorrow, meeting the country's Prime Minister Donald Tusk and then President Lech Kaczynski, before flying on to the Ukraine where he will have talks on Thursday with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and President Viktor Yushchenko.

"The visit is part of a top-level fact-finding mission," said Platini. "We will hold discussions with all the relevant bodies in charge of the preparations for Euro 2012. A report will then be given to the UEFA executive committee in order that they can fully review the situation in the two countries at our next meeting in Bordeaux on September 25 and 26."

UEFA sprang a surprise last year by naming Poland and Ukraine as co-hosts in preference to favourites Italy.