All 16 sides in Euros set for friendlies
Posted on March 25, 2008 Filed Under Fixtures and Results, Headlines
After some great Club matches. We have some great international football matches for the fans. Its time to see their countries best players to play in a team against other teams. Normal these matches are known as friendly matches because there is not trophy for the winners. Tomorrow’s matches will be the last chances for coaches to figure out whether players will fit into their squad before they select their final roster for the June 7-29 tournament in Austria and Switzerland.
And even players who won’t be at the tournament have something to play for. David Beckham is hoping to make his 100th international appearance when England, which failed to qualify, plays at injury-hit France.
Brazil and the United States also visit Europe — playing Sweden and Poland, respectively.
In other matches between qualified teams, it’s: Spain vs. Italy; Switzerland vs. Germany; Austria vs. Netherlands; Romania vs. Russia; and Portugal vs. Greece. Also, the Czech Republic is at Denmark, Croatia plays at Scotland and Turkey goes to Belarus.
Spain coach Luis Aragones called up Getafe midfielder Ruben De La Red into a largely unchanged squad for its match at Elche but also dropped FC Barcelona striker Bojan Krkic. Barcelona defender Carles Puyol returns from injury, while Mallorca’s Fernando Navarro was also called in to anchor the backline.
Real Madrid striker Raul Gonzalez — Spain’s all-time leading scorer with 44 goals in 102 games — appeared no closer to returning in time for Euro 2008 after being left off again. Raul, who has scored 18 times this season, hasn’t played for Spain since September 2006.
Alessandro Del Piero missed out on making Italy’s squad, excluded from an attack that includes Marco Borriello and Luca Toni. Donadoni recalled Juventus pair Gianluigi Buffon and Mauro Camoranesi to the squad after they missed the Portugal match with injury.
France’s plans were hit by the withdrawal of strikers Karim Benzema, Thierry Henry and Louis Saha because of injury, although Juventus striker David Trezeguet now has a chance of pressing his claims for a place at Euro 2008 after being called up as a replacement.
Portugal could also have a goalkeeping problem since Ricardo Oliveira could miss the match against Greece because of a shoulder injury which caused him to sit out a game for Spanish team Real Betis at the weekend. It’s a rematch of the 2004 European Championship final, which Greece won 1-0.
Chelsea central defender Ricardo Carvalho could also miss out because he needs tests on a head injury he sustained during Sunday’s Premier League game with Arsenal.
Other friendly matches include: Ukraine vs. Serbia; Bulgaria vs. Finland; Montenegro vs. Norway; Hungary vs. Slovenia; Estonia vs. Canada; and Slovakia vs. Iceland.
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