death

Portugal Drawn in Group of Death

/ Sam Biggers / 1 Comment

Euro 2012

Group B

Portugal-Netherlands-Germany-Denmark

With the qualification stage completed for Euro 2012, it was time to see how the teams in the tournament itself would be divided. The group stage draw happened on Friday, and Portugal were drawn in one of the hardest European Championship groups they have ever been in. Germany, Netherlands, and Denmark all join the Seleccao in Group B. You heard me. Germany AND the Netherlands. The average world ranking for our group? 6. The Netherlands and Germany currently sit at 2nd and 3rd, respectively, while Denmark is not too far behind at 11. Now, if we were to take a look at Group A, we would see that their average world ranking is 32. Poland is not even in the top fifty, while Czech Republic isn’t in the upper thirty. Needless to say, these groups are not even, but regardless, Portugal have a difficult group on their hands. The team undoubtedly has the talent to vanquish Denmark, and possibly the Netherlands, but Germany will be a different story.

 

Portugal Handed Group of “Death”

/ Sam Biggers / Leave a comment

The Portuguese Under-17 team is pitted against Spain, France, and Switzerland in this May’s 2010 UEFA Under-17 Championship. Liechtenstein host the finals tournament, which will be held between the 18th and the 30th of May. Spain won the 2007 and 2008 editions of the tournament, so they’re going to be our biggest threat. Switzerland reached the semi-finals last year, and France was in the 2008 final, so that is why the Portuguese Under-17 coach appropriately dubbed our group the group of death. But even if we don’t do well, this is the first UEFA Under-17 championship we have qualified for since 2004, so that in itself is an accomplishment.