With the Euro 2012 kicking off in less than a day, I thought we'd quickly run by all the Blues who will be participating this year and wish them all the best. Mentions go out to Frank Lampard and Gary Cahill who unfortunately will be missing the trip to Poland and Ukraine after suffering a thigh strain and broken jaw respectively. Get well soon mates!
Florent Malouda (FRANCE): I don't know what he did to get on that plane; he barely played for Chelsea all season and was still selected for the showpiece event. He may have silenced some critics with that screamer of a goal and generally good all round play against Serbia but I still think Blanc's reasoning of 'needing some experience in the squad' isn't good enough.
Petr Cech (CZECH REPUBLIC): No surprise here. The Chelsea No. 1 is one of the best players in his position in the world but I fear a weak Czech team especially in central defense means that Cech has very little chance of repeating his club European wonders.
Ashley Cole (ENGLAND): He was recently called a 'national treasure' by some quarters of the media and it goes to show how integral he is to England's prospects this year. He'll shoulder much of the defensive responsibility in the group stages especially against France whose wingers include Ribery and Ben Arfa. If England do progress then Cole will have a major part to play.
John Terry (ENGLAND): Much has been made of the Terry-Ferdinand saga but to be fair Terry is still the better defender and leader. He may not be national captain but there is no player in England who can better organize and command his defense better than John Terry. He may not be the most loved but if there was ever a player who'd put his life on the line for England, you wouldn't be surprised to hear that it was Terry.
UPDATE: He missed the training session before the France game due to a minor niggle.
Fernando Torres (SPAIN): He was dropped from the squad in February but did enough to convince Del Bosque of his worth and he could turn out to lead the Spanish front line against Italy, though my gut tells me it will be Llorente. A good show at the Euros augurs well for Chelsea next season as a confident Fernando Torres could wreak havoc alongside Hazard and Mata.
Juan Mata (SPAIN): Not a guaranteed starter, such is the depth of Spain's midfield. He presumably will be rotated with the others and should have enough substitute appearances and occasional starts to make his mark on the tournament. Spain start as heavy favorites to defend their Euro crown and Mata as well as Torres could be double European champions by the time next season dawns.
Raúl Meireles (PORTUGAL): He should be starting in Poland against Germany as part of the three man midfield Paulo Bento sets out. Playing in a slightly withdrawn role but not defensive, Raúl should have the opportunity to impress but in that Group of Death which also houses the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, I can't see Portugal advancing.
So these are our Euro stars and let's hope they set that stage alight!
