Euro 2008 Preview: Greece v Spain

Group D: Greece v Spain
When: 20:45 CET - Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Where: Salzburg, Austria
Referee: Howard Webb (England)

The Spanish pass masters are back in action on Wednesday, but it will not be a familiar team that goes out to take on the Greeks in the third and final game in Group D.

After qualifying for the quarter finals at the weekend, la Furia Roja’s boss, Luis Aragonés, is keen to give his shadow players a chance to prove themselves in the tournament.

Only one player that has started the first two games is likely to be named in the team with Andrés Iniesta making it a hat-trick due to Santi Cazorla being laid low with a virus.

While it would appear to be a very useful exercise for those players that have not appeared much and for the coach to run the rule over a few names, like Rubén De la Red, Dani Güiza and Sergio García, he also must be careful.

Two years ago Spain opened the World Cup finals by scoring four times and then secured passage to the next stage with a win over Tunisia, that was not so easy, a few days later.

In the third and final match, Aragonés changed his entire side and scraped a one-goal victory against Saudi Arabia and progressed with maximum points.

At the time it seemed to be common sense to let the second string have a run-out, but the move backfired somewhat in the next round when the first choice stars came back.

They had enjoyed their rest, but also lost a bit of the rhythm and France were able to cruise past a team that passed and passed, but created very little going forward.

Video Games

Against Russia this time around, Spain did their confidence good but may have done their prospects of being able to catch opponents off guard no favours at all.

Sweden must have watched the video of that 4-1 win several times in order to iron out the problems that Guus Hiddink’s side incurred and the plan almost worked.

While both Fernando Torres and David Villa scored, Spain had far fewer chances and the game became clogged up in the midfield for long periods and was reminiscent of some of the qualifiers.

It was performances like that en route to Austria and Switzerland that caused the team to attract more and more critics and lower the confidence of the squad.

Even in the final two friendly games against Peru and the United States, cynics were still sniping because Spain looked sluggish and lacked incisiveness in the final third.

Against Greece this may not matter, but with Otto Rehhagel’s team now out and the Spanish already through, this is now seen as a warm-up game for a quarter final meeting with either Romania, France or Italy.

To be fair to Aragonés, this time, as far as reports have suggested, there is harmony within his squad, whereas 24 months ago players were questioning him and causing trouble.

Loyalty Bonus

For Greece, this final game should have been one that meant something because they came into the tournament with such high hopes after winning the even four years ago in Portugal.

Instead, the sturdy defence and the powerful forward line failed to gel and the magic formula that undid Europe’s finest in the previous edition was missing.

The early exit has not meant that the Greek authorities believe that the coach should go and in a rare show of loyalty at the highest level, have asked him to stay on until the next World Cup finals.

Rehhagel has gladly accepted and will hope to continue his good work at the helm in South Africa in 2010, because many forget that just qualifying this year was a good achievement.

This game will have a sad twist as it marks the retirement from international football of three Greek players and will be a nostalgic night that means an embarrassment must be avoided.

Angelos Basinas, Antonis Nikopolidis and Paraskevas Antzas have all decided to step back from the national set-up to help the country focus on the World Cup and to bring in young hopefuls.

RECENT FORM

Greece

14/06 N Russia 0-1
10/06 N Sweden 0-2
01/06 N Armenia 0-0
24/05 H Hungary 2-3
19/05 A Cyprus 2-0
26/03 N Portugal 2-1

Spain

14/06 N Sweden 2-1
10/06 N Russia 4-1
04/06 H United States 1-0
31/05 H Peru 2-1
26/03 H Italy 1-0
06/02 H France 1-0

TEAM NEWS

Greece

Rehhagel has also said that he will field several shadow players too with Giourkas Seitaridis and Vassilis Torosidis out, while Fanis Gekas has a fractured cheekbone and midfielder Giorgios Karagounis is doubtful. Alexandros Tziolis, Loukas Vintra, Nikos Spyropoulos and striker Dimitris Salpigidis are all set to come in. Antonis Nikopolidis is set to start, despite his mistake against Russia, because it will be his last game for his country.

Probable Starting XI: TBA

Spain

Aragonés is set to play ten different starters from the first two games with Iniesta remaining because Cazorla is out. Pepe Reina will start ahead of Andrés Palop, although the Valencia-bound Sevilla keeper could make an entrance in the second half. It will be unique line-up with Sergio García partnering Dani Güiza up front and a strong performance from either will have the pundits enthralled about the strength of Spain’s striker.

Probable Starting XI: Reina, Arbeloa, Navarro, Juanito, Albiol, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, De la Red, Fàbregas, Sergio García, Güiza.

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