Euro 2012 draw: Capello relief as England avoid giants

Fabio Capello last night admitted he was relieved to avoid the difficult Group B at Euro 2012 and content with England’s “balanced” Group D draw.

England will face France, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine following yesterday’s draw in Kiev. Though they must play all their games in Ukraine, having opted to base themselves in Poland, Capello’s men nevertheless have one of the easier pools on paper.

Spain and Italy will meet in Group C – providing an imposing test for the Republic of Ireland – while Group B will comprise three past champions in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany as well as 2004 runners-up Portugal.

“I think Group B was the worst, Group A was better,” Capello said, reflecting on co-hosts Poland’s grouping with Greece, Russia and the Czech Republic.

“We have a balanced group, we need to play against Ukraine, one of the hosts of the tournament, and I remember them from when we played them in the qualifiers for the World Cup.”

England will begin their campaign against rivals France, whom they have not beaten in five meetings, in Donetsk on 11 June.

Capello added: “Against France will be a tough game, usually the first game is really difficult and it will be difficult for us, it will be difficult also for France. The third game will also be a difficult game.”

Sweden await in Kiev on 15 June before England again travel to Donetsk four days later to tackle Ukraine.

The travelling issue will not force a rethink in the Football Association’s plans, with Capello confirming: “It is better to find a really good place and good facilities, and we will stay in Krakow and travel.”

The tournament will mark the end of Capello’s tenure with the Three Lions, and he confirmed he will not reconsider his future no matter the outcome for his side.

“I am happy with my job, and I hope my last tournament will be something important for the fans,” the manager said.

Assessing the tournament as a whole, Capello said: “The favourite always is Spain, they are the best team in the world at the moment, difficult to beat, fantastic.

“Holland are also a good team and probably you can find a surprise – Portugal is one and some new teams, maybe one of the teams that host the tournament.”

The Republic, appearing in the championships for the first time since 1988, will open against Croatia in Poznan on 10 June. Yet it is the games against Spain, winners in 2008 and World Cup victors in South Africa last year, and 1968 champions Italy which will most excite their fans.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s men will travel to Gdansk to face Spain on 14 June and return to Poznan to play Italy four days later.

The Republic’s Italian coach admitted before the draw he did not want to play the team he managed at the 2002 World Cup and European Championships in Portugal two years later.

Quite aside from the build-up to a game that obviously means more than most, and having to change some pre-tournament training plans, the 72-year-old feared the threat posed by a resurgent Azzurri, who are once again punching their hefty weight on the international stage after a period in the doldrums. But now he knows he will.

“I wanted to avoid Italy because they are strong mentally and because we know each other,” said Trapattoni.

“We knew we had to face strong opponents and I hope we don’t do ourselves harm and that we get to 18 June in a calm way.”

Meeting Italy will not be a new experience. Ireland managed two draws against them in qualification for the 2010 World Cup, deprived of a win at Croke Park by Alberto Gilardino’s effort two minutes from time.

And in June this year, Keith Andrews and Simon Cox scored when an experimental team recorded a surprise 2-0 win in Liege.

There is also the little matter of that game in New York, when Ray Houghton scored the only goal to give Ireland one of the greatest nights in their entire history at USA ‘94.

“I must convince my players it will be another game,” said Trapattoni. “They may prepare better.”

Trapattoni is refusing to take anything for granted, not the importance of an opening match with Croatia, nor the Spain game, even though the odds on victory will be as great as they were that famous day in the Giants Stadium.

“We know our position in the rankings,” said Trapattoni. “We know we have to play with another mentality. Spain are famous. They won the World Cup. But everything is possible.”

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic believes the entire section will turn into a scrap for second behind Spain.

“Realistically, we don’t only have hope, we feel a real possibility and real chances to pass the group stage,” said Bilic. “Spain are the favourites for the tournament, I think Italy, Ireland and Croatia have equal chances to be the second team.”

The fierce rivalry between Germany and the Netherlands dates from the first competitive fixture, the 1974 World Cup final when Germany came from behind to beat the Dutch, hot favourites that year, 2-1 in Munich.

It was compounded when Van Basten and co took on and beat Germany 2-1 in the 1988 Euro semi-finals in Hamburg, going on to win the title in Munich, of all places.

Germany coach Joachim Loew said: “It is the most difficult group of all.

“It will be very challenging but it’s good that we start with a tough group like that.”

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk agreed it was the hardest group. “It will be a very big challenge,” he said.