Ukraine welcomed back with a bang

Free national team jerseys were distributed for fans at Ukraine's first training session back home; Boris Popov found the co-hosts to be coping well under the weight of expectation.

The decision to make Ukraine's first training session back on home soil a public one ensured it was a special occasion. Around 5,000 people greeted the squad at the Lobanovskiy Stadium, a venue well known to the players as it was used by both FC Dynamo Kyiv and the national team during the reconstruction of the Olympic Stadium. Even now, it is used home of FC Arsenal Kyiv and, often, Ukraine Under-21 fixtures.

"All 23 players are training and ready to play," said coach Oleh Blokhin. Training was spectacular enough in itself, with players warming up to the sound of music all the while remaining relaxed in the company of local TV presenters. The crowd, meanwhile, were all attired in national team jerseys distributed for free upon entrance. Every dribble, shot and tackle was cheered to the rafters.

Fifteen minutes in and with no goals scored, Blokhin decided to mix it up; one team stayed defending one normal goal, while the other was forced to protect two smaller ones. Training was concluded with long-range shooting, jumps and forward rolls. Last of all was a backwards run with hands held together; not everything went smoothly, giving plenty of reason to smile.

The question remains, though, will home support and subsequent expectations be beneficial or detrimental to the team? "There are no hosts and visitors on the pitch," said Blokhin. "If the match was decided on paper then the home team would always win. Us and Poland would be given gold medals in advance without holding any matches. Perhaps I would not object to this scenario that much, but that is not going to happen.

"We need to go and fight on the pitch and while domestic support undoubtedly boosts the players, sometimes local media come up with the excessive expectations. Even the top teams are not guaranteed the place in the last eight and we are not the exception."

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Alves full of hope for Portugal

Group B looks daunting by anybody's standards but Bruno Alves, the defensive rock on which Portugal are founded, is unflustered. "To be the best," he says, "you must beat the best."

Last week, with Portugal training in Obidos before departing for Poland, coach Paulo Bento unveiled his five captains for UEFA EURO 2012 – nobody was surprised when Bruno Alves's name was read out.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains, of course, the unchallenged holder of the armband. Yet Bento's idea in selecting the quintet was to establish an order of succession should the Real Madrid CF forward be unavailable, and provide some senior guidance for the squad. Alves is everyone's ideal big brother; formidable, reliable, a born leader.

His focus on the group dynamic is clear. Within seconds of sitting down with UEFA.com, Alves is praising the "quality and unity" of the group. He is considered one FC Porto's greatest skippers, winning four Liga titles and three Portuguese Cups in a decade on the books of his hometown club. When he speaks about Bento's leadership qualities, it pays to listen.

"There was immediately a very quick improvement when he arrived," enthuses Alves. "We were able to go and reach the [UEFA EURO 2012] play-offs, and then qualification. All the players already knew Paulo Bento from when he was a player, and for the work he did at Sporting [Clube de Portugal]: we all believe in the work he's doing."

Having left Porto in 2010, Alves has swiftly become part of another winning culture, this season completing back-to-back Russian titles with FC Zenit St Petersburg. While many would argue this is symptomatic of Alves's winning mentality, this is simply normal in the context of a talented Portugal squad, according to the man himself.

The defender believes this means even the stiff tests that await in Group B – against Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark – hold no fear. "It's a very tough group," he nods, "but in a tournament like this, we have to play the best. It so happens that we will face the best teams at the start of the tournament and we will give our best, because to be the best you must beat the best."

Joachim Löw's Germany, runners-up in UEFA EURO 2008, will provide a thorough first examination for Portugal at the Arena Lviv on Saturday. Nevertheless, having "adapted well" to a first week training in Poland, Alves says the focus in the Portugal camp is on their own strengths. "[Germany] are very strong opponents, very well organised," he said. "They are physically very strong and they have very good players but I think Portugal, with the quality and the unity we have, can win."

One should not rule out a decisive contribution from Alves, whose last goal for Portugal, against Bosnia and Herzegovina gave his side a lead in the 2010 FIFA World Cup play-offs that they never let slip. Yet he deflects the attention to the captain, whose quality he expects to lead his country forward.

"Cristiano is fantastic," enthuses Alves. "He's an extraordinary player, one of the best in the world, and someone who can always make the difference. He can be decisive at any point. He could have a great European Championship." With Alves stationed behind them, all of Portugal's forwards will feel they have the security to express themselves.

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Dutch skills thrill Krakow

There was a party atmosphere in Krakow on Wednesday as the prospect of watching the Netherlands team train close up lured 25,000 locals to the Municipal Stadium Wisla.

The Netherlands got an early taste of the tournament atmosphere yesterday when they were cheered on by around 25,000 fans at an open training session at the Municipal Stadium Wisla in Krakow.

Most of the vibrant crowd appeared to be made up of local supporters determined not to miss the chance to see Bert van Marwijk's side close up – one of the privileges of living in a city that's playing host to a trio of UEFA EURO 2012 contenders along with Italy and England.

"I think it's very special to be able to see the Netherlands for real for the first time in my life," Pawel Zbik, a local enthusiast dressed in an Oranje shirt, told me. "I have always been a fan of Dutch football and I think the Netherlands are the strongest team in the tournament and play the best football. So it's very nice that they've allowed people from Krakow into the stadium today to see the team at close quarters."

The weather gods also smiled on the event, after a long day of incessant rain on Tuesday. Mild sunshine warmed the stadium and 'Ooohs' and 'Aaahs' regularly emanated from the stands as the players enjoyed a session of finishing practice, with the likes of Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar burying some nice goals.

At one point, a Mexican wave even washed over the stands, leaving the Netherlands in little doubt how much UEFA EURO 2012 has captured the imagination of the local population. "We don't train that often in front of so many people, so that's nice," said Van Marwijk. "The advantage is that it makes you realise the tournament is really close to beginning. It was sometimes difficult to coach my players properly because of the noise from the fans, but the crowd was fantastic today."

I'd say that he can probably start getting used to that kind of following, with most of the 25,000 spectators who created a party atmosphere in Krakow surely set to back the Netherlands throughout the tournament.

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Bilić weighing up choices

"Whichever plan I pick, it will be good," said Slaven Bilić yesterday as Croatia continued gearing up to face the Republic of Ireland on Sunday. So what are their options? Elvir Islamović reveals all.

"I don't have a headache – I just have plan A, B and C. And I will pick one of those plans. Whichever plan I pick, it will be good."

Thus spoke a rather bullish Slaven Bilić yesterday after being pressed on the doubts surrounding his team selection for Croatia's Group C opener against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday. So what are his various plans? Nobody ought to expect any huge surprises as Bilić is sure to stick with a recognisable formation and style of play, but how can he get the best out of his squad? Let's take a closer look.

Between the sticks, Stipe Pletikosa's position is safe, and he is one of the most experienced players in the squad having made 91 appearances since his debut in 1999. Bilić also seems decided on three of his four defenders, with Domagoj Vida his preferred option at right-back and Vedran Ćorluka now operating in the middle – where his partner will be Gordon Schildenfeld. Bilić has clearly put his trust in Schildenfeld since his superb performances against Turkey in the play-offs, and that just leaves Ivan Strinić and Danijel Pranjić in a tussle for the left-back spot, to which both have equal claims.

In midfield, captain Darijo Srna will patrol the right flank and Luka Modrić has locked down the playmaker role, which means there are two berths up for grabs. If Bilić sticks with the recipe that earned Croatia their 3-0 play-off win in Istanbul, Tomislav Dujmović will be the holding player and Ivan Rakitić will occupy the left wing. The alternative would be to field Rakitić in the centre, in place of Dujmović, with the in-form Ivan Perišić on the left – a far more attacking strategy, but certainly an appealing one.

Croatia's top forward at the moment is Nikica Jelavić and he can count on a place in the first XI. Mario Mandžukić has the slight edge as Bilić's second choice, but Eduardo's goal in Saturday's friendly against Norway has perhaps complicated that question. Having been called up to replace the injured Ivica Olić, Nikola Kalinić is fourth choice.

What is certain is that Bilić will stick with his favoured 4-4-2 formation, but that still leaves scope for a variety of approaches. Will he go down the more defensive route with either Dujmović or Ognjen Vukojević in the middle, or will Croatia come out all guns blazing, featuring Rakitić alongside Modrić and Perišić out wide? All will be revealed on Sunday...

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Defoe returns home

Jermain Defoe has flown back to England following the death of his father but the forward is expected to rejoin Roy Hodgson's squad at their UEFA EURO 2012 base in Krakow.

England forward Jermain Defoe has returned home from the team's Krakow base following the death of his father overnight.

In a statement on its website, the Football Association (FA) said that the Tottenham Hotspur FC striker would rejoin the squad in due course, adding that "there will be no replacement player called in" to Roy Hodgson's squad.

England arrived in Poland on Wednesday evening and begin their UEFA EURO 2012 Group D campaign against France in Donetsk on Monday.

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Sweden's winning tune

What has a cheesy 1980s Eurovision-winning pop song got to do with the fortunes of Erik Hamrén's Sweden team? Quite a lot, according to team reporter Sujay Dutt.

'Diggiloo-diggiley'. Sound familiar? It might if you're a) a fanatical follower of the Eurovision Song Contest, or b) simply Swedish.

The words (if they can be called that) were the title of Sweden's entry in 1984. Three clean-cut brothers called the Herreys sang it and performed a choreographed dance remembered by all Swedes who saw it. Suddenly, in Kyiv 28 years later, the number came to my mind again.

"Lightning and thunder" starts the song – and that's what I started humming to myself at the sight of the skies that welcomed Erik Hamrén and his men when they landed in the Ukrainian capital on Wednesday evening. Because of the thunderstorm, the Swedish plane had to circle above Kyiv for half an hour before getting clearance to land.

The wait gave me time to think back on the rest of the lines to the old Herreys hit. "Imagine an obstacle – you'll fly over it," the song went as I hummed along. Looking up at a black Kyiv sky, I got to "Oh, what a wonderful dream" and realised that this trivial piece of 80s pop was more profound than it seemed.

In fact, it could have been penned by Hamrén himself. The Swedish coach often speaks fondly of the power of dreams and keeps telling his players how he wants them to see possibilities where others see obstacles.

To top it all, the Herrey brothers sang about – and did their famous dance, wearing – golden boots. Obviously a not-so-veiled reference to what Zlatan Ibrahimović might claim at the end of this tournament.

Oh, for those who don't remember, 'Diggiloo-diggiley' won the European pop crown for Sweden in 1984. Who knew it would be a footballing prophecy in 2012? Powerful stuff, don't you agree?

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Prandelli ponders options

With Andrea Barzagli looking increasingly likely to miss out on UEFA EURO 2012 altogether, Cesare Prandelli is facing a defensive conundrum according to Richard Aikman.

As Davide Astori cut short a holiday from Miami to join the Azzurri yesterday afternoon, it's looking increasingly likely that Andrea Barzagli will bow out of UEFA EURO 2012 before it has even begun. Cesare Prandelli will take a final decision on Friday but with the Juventus defender already ruled out for the group stage with a calf injury, Prandelli must decide whether he can afford to risk leaving numbers light at the back.

The talk in the press all week has been of Italy departing from their usual 4-3-1-2 formation in favour of a 3-5-2, and Prandelli has been experimenting with Daniele De Rossi at centre-back. However, the former ACF Fiorentina coach would undoubtedly be more comfortable taking this approach were Barzagli available as he, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci have all played together in that role for Juventus this term.

Andrea Barzagli is struggling with injury

Barzagli's absence makes such an option more risky. De Rossi has played at the back, but in a four rather than a three-man rearguard, while both Angelo Ogbonna and Astori are also more accustomed to playing in a four. Such problems place the onus on the midfield to help out more defensively and the attack to break their three-match goal drought.

As Morgan De Sanctis said in yesterday's press conference: "It went wrong for us against Russia, but the result [a 3-0 defeat] wasn't a fair reflection of the way we played. What we learnt was that we need to improve the balance of the side. We looked capable of scoring at any time but we also looked just as likely to concede, so need a better balance. The teams that go the distance at EURO are those who defend the best, even if they don't necessarily score many goals."

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Danes pressed into action

Before they cover their country's Group B opener against the Netherlands on Saturday, the Danish press have an important match of their own to negotiate, as Thomas Mark explains.

There is still one match to be played before Denmark face the Netherlands on Saturday in UEFA EURO 2012 Group B. It is a very important, historical game going many years back: the traditional meeting of the Danish press and team backroom staff.

The press acquired the bragging rights two years ago when they won 1-0 over 80 minutes at the FIFA World Cup in the last encounter between the sides. The games have their upsides and downsides, as all parties will testify.

While the run-around fosters unity, helping to consolidate a healthy relationship with the national team and the press pack, the spin-off is a mass of sore legs, aches and pains – bear in mind that this might be the only game some people have played all year or, indeed, since the last major tournament. No pain, no gain.

However, bumps and bruises aside, the match is a great reminder for all of us of why football is such a fantastic game. People talk for hours about past meetings, all the while deciding what tactics to employ and which players to select. And the tales from former games are repeated again and again – hours of talking from just 80 minutes of action.

With me covering my first final tournament I realise it is not going to be easy to break into the team, so after a patchy performance from the press XI in the last training session I was given the role of reserve goalkeeper. This suits me well. After all, how many people can say they have stopped former Danish international and FC Schalke 04 striker Ebbe Sand from scoring?

The game will be played on Thursday at 16.00CET before the press and national team leave for Kharkiv with sore legs, smiles on faces and, most importantly, something to talk about during the long flight.

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Football mourns for Preciado

Manolo Preciado, one of the Spanish game's most charismatic and best loved characters who recently agreed to take up the reins at relegated Villarreal CF, has passed away aged 54.

Spanish football is mourning the death of Manolo Preciado, the former coach of Real Racing Club and Real Sporting de Gijón, who has died aged 54 after suffering a fatal heart attack.

One of the game's most charismatic and best loved characters, Preciado had recently agreed to take up the reins at relegated Villarreal CF following a largely successful five-and-a-half years with Real Sporting de Gijón, whom he led into Spain's top flight. That was one of five promotions achieved by Preciado, who also took Levante UD into the Liga.

Following a playing career that began with Real Racing Club in 1977, Preciado twice coached the Santander side and also had spells in charge at RS Gimnástica de Torrelavega – where he made the transition from player to coach – and Real Murcia CF.

Speaking from Spain's UEFA EURO 2012 base camp in Gniewino, coach Vicente del Bosque said: "It is a shock. We were told the news during breakfast and were all left stunned. Manuel was a footballing man and a fighter who excellently represented the values of our sport."

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Denmark carry danger

With a wealth of creativity behind him, Demark striker Nicklas Bendtner is satisified his team carry the necessary threat to cause their Group B rivals plenty of problems.

Denmark are confident they have the creativity and firepower to score goals at UEFA EURO 2012, with forward Nicklas Bendtner saying: "It's looking good."

Bendtner has been in terrific form for his country, scoring six goals in his last eight international appearances to take his tally to 18 strikes in 48 caps. The EURO '92 winners kick off their testing Group B campaign against the Netherlands in Kharkiv on Saturday, and Bendtner, believes "there are a lot of players who can take charge of the midfield, and provide both goals and assists". It is a positive view shared by team-mates, AFC Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen and birthday boy Michael Krohn-Dehli.

Nicklas Bendtner, Denmark forward
As a forward you're always trying to score as many goals as possible. The creative players are looking good, everybody seems satisfied. I think Dennis Rommedahl is the one who has provided the most assists for me in my time on the national team, and Krohn has been doing a really good job.

And we have a lot of other good players. Lasse Schøne, and Tobias Mikkelson have joined in and done really well, and Kalle [Thomas Kahlenberg] too. So there are a lot of players who can take charge in midfield, and provide both goals and assists. It's looking good, we've been practising well and intensely. We just need the last technical and tactical details and we'll be on our way.

Christian Eriksen, Denmark midfielder
It's going in the right direction, so it's looking good. I have extra energy, and have gained a greater interest in doing everything. I've known I'd be under pressure from the beginning. The more you play, the more focus and pressure there'll be on you – I hope it stays that way. Of course, it's been a different kind of spotlight than that which I have been under before, but it's fine.

Michael Krohn-Dehli, Denmark forward
Of course you'd rather celebrate your [29th] birthday with your family, but when it comes down to it I would happily celebrate it with the boys. It's been exciting, there have been many new things to digest, but right now I'm just looking forward to playing some football. I feel we've practised enough, and we feel in really good shape – I certainly do. So yes, it will be fun.

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