World 
Euro 2008 Championships 
David Villa Will Have to Watch and Hope
You’ve got to feel for David Villa. The Spain striker injured a muscle in his right leg during last night’s 3-0 semi-final win over Russia, and now it looks like he’s going to miss the final on Sunday.
Obviously Villa’s main concern will be that Spain take the trophy, but he’s also going to have to sit and watch knowing that his Euro 2008 Golden Boot is under threat. Villa currently leads the pack with four goals, but can see plenty of Germans in his rear view mirror eying up the top goalscorer award.
There’s Lukas Podolski with three, while the trio of Michael Ballack, Miroslav Klose and Bastian Schweinsteiger all have two each. Also on that list: Villa’s teammate and possible replacement Dani Güiza, who has two goals.
If any of those men start banging goals in on Sunday, Villa might have to kiss sole ownership of the Golden Boot goodbye. And if it’s Germans doing the scoring Villa might wave goodbye to a Golden Boot and a European Championship. That can’t be fun to sit and watch.
So as long as it’s Güiza or another Spaniard doing the scoring he probably won’t mind.
Click here to see the Euro 2008 top scorers table
For UK viewers, one traditional aspect of Euros and World Cups is the television ratings battle between BBC and ITV. I say battle, it’s a bit one-sided, because every two years, the BBC gives ITV a severe beating. The Beeb’s commercial rival just can’t compete.
Player of the Day: Sergio “Hot As Balls” Ramos. All over the place, stuffing Russian attackers, hassling Russian defenders. Probably the first game he’s played up to his capabilities this tournament. And I love defenders with an identity crisis, particularly hybrid rightback-strikers.
Everyone expected a vastly different game from the first encounter, but it was damn near the same thing right down to the scoreline and weather conditions. And like the first game, Andrei Arshavin, supposedly the biggest difference maker, was nowhere to be found.
Mario Gómez
Roberto Donadoni (or Gonagoni as he was cruelly nicknamed by, er, us) has been tossed a mouldy lifejacket and told to jump off the good ship Azzurri. Meanwhile 2006 World Cup winner Marcello Lippi has been welcomed back on board and saluted as captain, as if he’d never been away.
24 years ago, a Spanish team was headed to the European Championship final. But Luis Aragones’ Spain side will not be looking to emulate that Euro 84 squad, with the likes of Jose Camacho and Francisco Javier. Instead they will be trying to repeat the accomplishment of the team that beat ... 
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Neither of these teams were supposed to be here. Spain because of their history and Russia partly because of the history they don’t have. But both are more than deserving of their spot in the semifinals and though it’s essentially a rematch of their group encounter, won 4-1 by Spain, it’s really anything but.
I am glad we lost. There I said it.
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