Euro 2008 Predictions: Group C
Our predictions for Euro 2008 continue. In the last day before the tournament, we’ve made a shock rotation, and I’ll be taking over for Daryl to predict Group C. Since three of our four main bloggers support to some degree a side in this group, we’ve given up on being objective, but I’ll try to keep the predictions to Daryl’s standards.
I’ll even try to do it in an English accent, for consistency’s sake.
Predictions for the Group of Death, Dismemberment and General Malaise below:
Italy
Even without captain Fabio Cannavaro, the World Cup champions are a force to be reckoned with. The old guard of Materazzi, Panucci, Del Piero and others is joined by a new class of young Italian talent. Danielle De Rossi showed his amazing quality with Roma all season, and Marco Borriello similarly emerged for Genoa. If Borriello’s 19 Serie A goals aren’t enough to scare opposing defenders, Luca Toni proved once again this season he can win games all alone, netting 24 for Bayern Munich. They also happen to have one of the best keepers in the world, Gigi Buffon, at the back. Captain or no captain, the Italians are always dangerous.
Read our Italy Team Profile for more.
France
Matching up with Italy, for the umpteenth time in a major tournament, is France. Les Bleus are, as always, brimming with talent, and this year feature a pair of players that could make their permanent mark on the international landscape. Samir Nasri and Karim Benzema are the future of the French attack, but whether they can match up with more experienced opponents on the biggest stage is yet to be seen. Like Italy, France has taken a hit to their captain, but remain strong. The problem is certainly not talent, but whether that talent will gel together in the right way at the right time. Pre-tournament friendlies suggest there may be reason to worry, but we all know they can be deceptive. They got the better of Italy in qualifying, but can they do it again?
Read our France Team Profile for more.
Netherlands
Holland comes into this tournament with a side that is very much a Holland side. Great attackers? A questionable defense? Pre-tournament bickering? Check, check and check. Clarence Seedorf is home with a bruised ego, and Ryan Babel with much more visible injuries, but for the most part, their first choices are available. Though their back line may not be the class of the group, there’s a certain Manchester United keeper behind them who wants very much to add a European championship winner’s medal to his Champions League honor from just a month ago. The attacking quality of Robin Van Persie, Jan Vennegor of Hesselink, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar cannot be denied, but the question remains of whether their defenders can stand up to the likes of Luca Toni, Karim Benzema and Adrian Mutu.
Read our Netherlands Team Profile for more.
Romania
The darkest of horses in the group of death. The Tricolorii come into this tournament with no expectations from the mainstream media. Despite the dazzling talents of Adrian Mutu and Ciprian Marica in attack, and a starting back line with over 200 total caps, no one expects them to progress. Those who ignore the past, though, like the four points Romania took from the Netherlands in qualifying, are doomed to repeat it. This team has the potential to be the Greece of 2008, not to say they will win, but they may very well surprise. The biggest question mark is their keeper. Bogdan Lobont will have to have the tournament of his life to lead his team to a good result, and after a disappointing club season that saw the Romanian Liga title leave Bucharest for the first time in recent memory, he is certainly hungry for it. Their qualifying and pre-tournament friendlies all point to a very good team, an underestimated team, and if any of their three groupmates take them at all for granted, they will find themselves on the wrong end of a shock result.
Read our Romania Team Profile for more.
Before I make my final picks, a quick note. No one knows quite how this one is going to finish up. The safe and popular choice would be France and Italy, but I just don’t see it happening. France’s injury worries and pre-tournament form leave a bit of doubt in my mind about whether they can make the cut. As I brace for the inevitable comment storm, here are my picks. They represent only my opinions, not those of the bloggers as a whole (especially Laurie):
1. Italy
2. Romania
3. France
4. Netherlands
Think you can make a better prediction? Of course you do. So enter our Euro 2008 Predictor Contest. You get points for picking the order the four groups will finish in, and for predicting which teams will be in the quarters, semis and final, plus big points for selecting the overall winner.
Prizes up for grabs include a £100 ($200) voucher from UKSoccerShop.com three Euro 2008 team jerseys from SoccerPro.com and a pair of Nike Euro 2008 special edition football boots, also from SoccerPro.com.
Related Posts
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share
|
Comments


What? Blasphemy! The Dutch wont finish last, mate.
Posted from
Canada




The fact that you list vennegoor over Ruud, sneijder, robben, etc. pretty much destroys the point in the entire article
Posted from
Netherlands




Daan – that’s fair. The point was that the attack is hardly the problem, whichever of the names you plug in there.




Plus he’s a Scot. Ian loves him some Venegoor of Hesselink.
This group prediction was always going to be controversial, whichever way he called it, especially since three of the team have big fanbases on this site. That was one of the reasons the rest of us punted to Ian.
(Thank you, Ian.)
Posted from
United States




I have been fearing the same result! But even worse… France in 4th, behind Holland! Romania scares the hell out of me. More than Italy or Holland. We’ll have to get lucky against them, like against the Czechs in 2000. The Czechs were probably the 4th best team in the tournament but were drawn with two of the top 3. We won but they were soooo unlucky, though not nearly as unlucky as they were against Holland.
Posted from
United States




This is really difficult.
In all honesty I can’t say i think the Italians will finish first. We will absolutely make it through, but first is not gaurenteed. Aside from that I really have no idea how this group will look.
Posted from
United States




I’m backing Italy, Holland, France, Romania. But its gonna be mighty close.
Posted from
United Kingdom




dead on my prediction as well. only it’s gonna be nail bitting and whoever advances has big chances of winning the tournament.




I’d like my crow served well done, with a nice side of potatoes. Damn. Great game to Holland.


Comments are closed
Send Your Tips!
Email tips[at]worldcupblog[dot]org
Euro 2008 Club Football News
- Would You Rather: Club Win the League? Or Country Win the World Cup?
- Daily Dose: October 11th, 2009.
- The Atlantic League: A European Not-Quite-Super-But Still-Quite-Good-League for Celtic, Rangers and Others
- Is Watching Football on the Internet The Future?
- The FFT100 - Agree? Disagree?
More Euro 2008 Blogs
Austria World Cup Blog
111 Articles | 117 Comments
Croatia World Cup Blog
192 Articles | 1,821 Comments
Czech Republic World Cup Blog
196 Articles | 320 Comments
France World Cup Blog
789 Articles | 10,306 Comments
Germany World Cup Blog Blog
485 Articles | 3,098 Comments
Greece World Cup Blog
142 Articles | 70 Comments
Italy World Cup Blog
567 Articles | 21,783 Comments
Netherlands World Cup Blog
2,013 Articles | 26,931 Comments
Poland World Cup Blog
352 Articles | 4,198 Comments
Portugal World Cup Blog
453 Articles | 7,016 Comments
Romania World Cup Blog
78 Articles | 281 Comments
Russia World Cup Blog
81 Articles | 143 Comments
Spain World Cup Blog
235 Articles | 1,926 Comments
Sweden World Cup Blog
151 Articles | 318 Comments
Switzerland World Cup Blog
217 Articles | 327 Comments
Turkey World Cup Blog
39 Articles | 293 Comments
UEFA Euro 2008 Championships
546 Articles | 7,250 Comments
Monthly Archives
World 







