Monthly Archives: May 2012

Федерер и Надаль устанавливают рекорды! Кевин Дюрант обязан побеждать!

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Теннис. Ролан Гаррос. Мужчины

Пока турнир только набирает обороты, но в нем уже случилось несколько исторических событий.Nadal Clay volley 1 300x195 Федерер и Надаль устанавливают рекорды! Кевин Дюрант обязан побеждать! Роджер Федерер одержал свою 234-ю победу на турнирах большого шлема и таким образом обошел Джимми Коннорса.

Я тут «на досуге» решил подсчитать, как долго к такому результату надо идти. Что мы имеем: четыре турнира большого шлема в году, в каждом из них вы можете сыграть не более 7 матчей. Таким образом, получается, что в год вы имеете возможность выиграть не более 28 матчей. И мы даже не берем такие факторы, как травмы, сила соперников и другие приходящие причины.

Роджер стал лидером в этом списке и какое-то время будет только увеличивать эту цифру, но по пятам ему уже идет Рафаэль Надаль, который на все тех же парижских кортах достиг 150 побед на турнирах большого шлема,  став самым молодым теннисистом, добравшимся до такого показателя в столь «юном» возрасте.

К чему я все это писал… Просто для того, чтобы вы смело набирали этих сверх-людей в «экспрессы», а еще добавляли к ним Джоковича, Маррея и спокойно ждали полуфиналов, где все эти персонажи и встретятся.

Баскетбол. НБА. Плей-офф

Оклахома-Сити – Сан-Антонио Сперс (счет в серии 0:2). В последней игре в Техасе был момент, когда показалось, что «Оклахома» может получить нокаутирующий удар, после которого серия будет проиграна. Не знаю, сколько нервных клеток это стоило Скотту Бруксу, но команда смогла почти отыграть 20 очковое отставание, правда, победить не удалось, но морально, наверняка, стало полегче.

Кевин Дюрант после матча заявил, что моральные победы для его команды неважны и что теперь они хотят во что бы то ни стало выиграть третий матч. И вы знаете, с точки зрения математического ожидания – это не маловероятно, так как «Сперс» 2.70 побеждают в плей-офф уже 10 матчей подряд!!!

Вся «Оклахома» 1.50 заявляет, что ничего еще не потеряно и надо просто победить на своей площадке, но воспоминания отбрасывают нас на год назад, а мы помним, что в прошлом сезоне другая команда из Техаса точно так же выбила команду Дюранта и Уэстбрука!

«Оклахома-Сити» победит в этом матче!

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  1. Надаль против Федерера! «Ванкувер» на пути к первому Кубку Стенли! «Даллас Маверикс» останавливает «Майами Хит»! Теннис. Ролан Гаррос. Финал. Мужчины. Рафаэль Надаль – Роджер Федерер….
  2. Кевин Дюрэнт против Тима Данкана! Ставки на матчи Ролан Гаррос! Баскетбол. НБА. Плей-офф. Сан-Антонио Сперс – Оклахома-Сити (счет в серии…
  3. Джокович и Маррей лечат травмы, Федерер хочет победить! Россия сыграет на берегах Эллады! Теннис. Мастерс. Париж. В этом году календарь АТП тура сверстан…

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Italy target pre-Euros lift

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Italy take on fellow Euro 2012 qualifiers Russia in an international friendly on Friday night as the Azzurri look to get in shape for the summer’s tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

Once the powerhouses of European football, Italy now sit in the shadows of the likes of Spain and Germany, so what chances of success do they have this summer? (Italy 14/1 – Euro 2012 Outright)

Cesare Prandelli’s side won their group to make it to Euro 2012 but it was not without a few dodgy moments, the goalless draw with Northern Ireland and only a 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands raised a few eyebrows and let’s not forget the Serbia game, where they were awarded a 3-0 win after the opposition fans rioted.

They take on Russia on Friday night and will be looking for a real confidence boost on the eve of the tournament, especially vital as their scheduled friendly with Luxembourg in Parma on Tuesday was cancelled due to the earthquake near the region earlier that day. (Italy 23/20, draw 21/10, Russia 9/4 – 90 Minutes)

Dick Advocaat’s Russia are going to be no push-overs and are themselves preparing for Poland and Ukraine, with the Dutchman’s side built on a solid defensive unit and that is exemplified by the fact that – bar their 6-0 win over Andorra – they scored only 11 goals in nine qualifying games.

The Group A side possess talent like Andrey Arshavin, Alan Dzagoev and Roman Pavlyuchenko, so Italy cannot under-estimate them as they look to get their camp in order before starting their Euro 2012 campaign against defending champions Spain on June 10th. (Spain 4/5, draw 12/5, Italy 10/3 – 90 Minutes)

Italy are traditionally strong in defence and their narrow formation, which Prandelli usually packs with four central midfielders, means they retain possession well. But it is up-front where things could go well, or very wrong, for the Italians this summer.

Antonio Cassano is just back after having heart surgery in November and he led the way during qualifying and then there is the wildcard that is Mario Balotelli, who looks likely to play a lead role after being given the number nine shirt.

The Manchester City man, who this week vowed to walk off the pitch if he suffers racist abuse, was recently left out by Prandelli but the boss now claims the trust for forward “100%”. With veteran forward Antonio Di Natale, Fabio Borini and Sebastian Giovinco the other options, Italy need Balotelli to have a big tournament.

Italy have the hardest start possible against the defending European and World champions Spain, but following that they should fancy their chances against fellow Group C sides Croatia and the Republic of Ireland.

But they could run into the Spanish again at the quarter-finals and that looks about the level Italian fans should expect to see their side progress this summer. (2/1 Quarter-Finals – Italy Stage of Elimination)

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Yarmolenko key to home hopes

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Euro 2012 co-hosts Ukraine – priced 40/1 with totesport in the outright betting – can make it seven games unbeaten when they take on Austria at Tivoli Stadion Tirol in Innsbruck on Friday.

In a week when Germany and the Netherlands both crashed in friendly fixtures it is always wise to err on the side of caution when treading the path of non-competitive matches, but it is safe to suggest this outing means more to Ukraine than Austria.

The Austrians will not feature in this summer’s showpiece tournament having failed to qualify off the back of a wretched qualifying campaign which yielded just three wins, although they were thrown in at the deep end in a group with Germany, Turkey and Belgium.

Ukraine have enjoyed the benefit of not having to qualify but a kind pre-tournament itinerary, which has included friendly wins so far against the likes of Estonia, twice, and Israel is questionable when put under scrutiny.

The two sides met last November and Marko Devic earned 10-man Ukraine a stoppage-time 2-1 win. Since then the Ukrainians have scored seven goals in two further friendlies, including a 4-0 romp against Estonia on Monday. Andriy Yarmolenko ended an impressive season for Dynamo Kiev with 12 goals in the Ukraine top-flight and can be backed at 5/1 to end the tournament Top Ukraine Goalscorer.

Veteran striker Andriy Shevchenko (10/1 – Top Ukraine Goalscorer) made a cameo appearance in the second half and captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk played just nine days after suffering Champions League final heartache with Bayern Munich.

The influential pair will be key to Oleg Blokhin’s hopes of leading Ukraine out of a Group D including France, England and Sweden (Ukraine 5/4 to qualify).

Ukraine can be backed at 11/8 to collect maximum points in a crucial opening game against Sweden (15/8 to win, draw 11/5 – 90 minutes), but, priced up at 4/7 stage of elimination – Group, are not expected to reach the knockout stages.

Ukraine squad:

Goalkeepers: Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv), Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk).

Defenders: Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil), Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava), Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk).

Midfielders: Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol), Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern München), Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv).

Forwards: Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva), Marko Devic (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv).

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Pick of the Euro friendlies

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More Euro 2012 hopefuls are in friendly action on Thursday evening, with France, Germany and Greece all taking the chance to put their players through their paces with the countdown to Poland and Ukraine now on.

France v Serbia
Les Bleus take on Serbia in Reims and then Estonia in Le Mans on Tuesday as they look to bounce back on the world stage after a disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa.

Coach Laurent Blanc has axed Lyon’s Yoan Gourcuff and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa of Montepellier from his pre-tournament squad as he gears up for the Group D opener against England in Donetsk on June 11.

France imploded in spectacular style two years ago but Blanc led them to the European Championships despite opening their qualification campaign with a home defeat to Belarus.

However, that setback turned out to be their only loss although they came close to another poor result at the weekend when coming back to beat Iceland 3-2 in Valenciennes.

Match Odds: France 8/15, draw 13/5, Serbia 5/1 – 90 Minutes

Germany v Israel
The Germans made it a perfect 10 in qualifying, scoring 34 goals and conceding just seven, to underline their credentials to go all the way this summer.

However they were not given the best draw and will take on Holland, Portugal and Denmark in the tournament’s Group of Death.

Joachim Loew’s men have also lost their last two friendlies with seven goals against and four for them, with France (1-2) and Switzerland (5-3) the opposition.

But they will be stronger for the clash with Israel after which the focus will be the clash with the Portuguese in Lviv on June 9.

Match Odds: Germany 2/11, draw 5/1, Israel 11/1 – 90 Minutes

Greece v Armenia
Greece were the 2004 European champions and were undefeated in qualifying for Euro 2012, having crashed out four years ago in Switzerland and Austria following three defeats in the group stage.

However, the fact they made the 2008 UEFA showpiece was an achievement given the fact the Greeks were unable to qualify successfully for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Surprisingly, Armenia won half of their Euro 2012 qualifiers before coming up short behind Russia and the Republic of Ireland, however do not discount them to pile tragedy on the Greeks on Thursday night.

Match Odds: Greece 7/10, draw 23/10, Armenia 19/5 – 90 Minutes

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Илья Ковальчук идет за Кубком Стенли!

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Хоккей. НХЛ. Плей-офф. Финал

Нью-Джерси Девилс – Лос-Анджелес Кингс. Вот уж и вправду интересный финал у нас намечается. «Короли», NJ Devils Brodeur above 11 300x207 Илья Ковальчук идет за Кубком Стенли! которые вскочили на подножку уходящего в плей-офф «поезда», занявшие 8-е место в западной конференции, и «Дьяволы», для которых по мнению большинства плей-офф должен был закончиться еще в серии с «Филадельфией». Сейчас этим командам предстоит решить: кто же станет обладателем Кубка Стэнли. И как не крути, через две недели кто-то из них будет ликовать, а кто-то будет убит горем.

Александр Овечкин заявил, что в этом противостоянии он будет болеть персонально за Илью Ковальчука, он уточнил, что это «боление» не за команду «Нью-Джерси» 1.91 , а именно за своего друга. Для Ильи Ковальчука – это первое попадание в финал Кубка Стэнли, и он собирается им воспользоваться, так как никто не знает, когда будет второй шанс.

Для любителей хоккея в России имя Мартина Бродо стало очень узнаваемо после того, как в сезоне 95-96 стал обладателем Кубка Стэнли, обыграв «русский» «Детройт». После этого он выиграл кубки в конце 90-х и начале 2000-х, а вот теперь может стать 9-м хоккеистом за всю историю НХЛ, который сможет выиграть Кубок Стэнли в трех разных десятилетиях! Самое интересно, что сейчас Мартин уже заявляет о своем желании продолжить карьеру и после этого сезона, а вот до этого он планировал завершить карьеру по окончанию чемпионата.

У «Лос-Анджелеса» 1.91 с точки зрения Кубков Стэнли все еще более мрачно. «Короли» никогда не выигрывали этот серебряный кубок, да что там говорить, они играли в финале всего один раз, да и то для этого им понадобилось привлечь в свои рядя Уэйна Грецки, который тогда был в самом расцвете сил. Да, и было это 20 лет назад…

Так что сейчас Дрю Даути и Майк Ричард, как и Илья Ковальчук будут биться за этот шанс, не жалея ни себя, ни своих соперников тем более. Пока что фаворитом этого противостояния считается «Лос-Анджелес», но как мне кажется, «Нью-Джерси» преподнесет сюрприз…

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  2. Эндрю Кэрролл в составе «Ливерпуля» против «Ньюкасла». Семин на подъеме, следующий – Овечкин? Футбол. Англия. Премьер-лига. Ливерпуль – Ньюкасл. Футболисты из города «Битлз»…

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Кевин Дюрэнт против Тима Данкана! Ставки на матчи Ролан Гаррос!

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Баскетбол. НБА. Плей-офф.

Сан-Антонио Сперс – Оклахома-Сити (счет в серии 1:0). Это противостояние способно четко подвести чертуBlue cheerleader 1 200x300 Кевин Дюрэнт против Тима Данкана! Ставки на матчи Ролан Гаррос! между «прошлым и будущим». В случае победы «Оклахомы» 2.73 на «дверях» НБА будет написано «Старикам тут не место!», и причем эта фраза будет выведена большими буквами…

Тим Данкан, Тони Паркер, Ману Джинобиле – это те люди на которых последнее десятилетие держалась система Грегга Поповича,и вот сейчас один из лучших тренеров НБА за всю историю пытается выжать максимум из его немолодых подопечных. Все понимают, что для «Сперс», как и для «Бостона» наступает последний бой, причем он даже не трудный самый, он именно, что последний…

Перед «старой техасской гвардией» стоят самые молодые и перспективные игроки НБА – это Кевин Дюрант и Рассел Уэстбрук одни из самых физически развитых игроков современности. Переиграть с точки зрения быстроты их невозможно, а следовательно, «Сперс» продолжат играть в «олд скульный» баскетбол, но вот хватит ли этого?

Первый матч «Оклахома» проиграла после грамотного тайм-аута Грэга Поповича, который попросил своих игроков  играть более «неприятно» по отношению к сопернику, ну по крайне мере мы именно так интерпретируем его выражение.

Как пойдет дальше эта серия не знает никто, так как  при всей очевидности игры «Оклахомы» никто не может поручиться, что она не пройдет «Сан-Антонио» 1.47. Так как, чем дальше сезон, тем больше усталости в мышцах у ветеранов, а это как не крути определяющий фактор…

Для всех любителей «догонов» этот матч прекрасный повод поставить на «Оклахому», так как «Сперс» побеждали 9! матчей подряд, а как мы знаем все серии рано, или поздно заканчиваются. Не исключу в нем и овертайм.

При всем моем уважении к «Сперс», я бы поставил на «Оклахому», так как Скотт Брукс учтет ошибки первого матча и сможет переиграть более опытного оппонента!

Теннис. Ролан Гаросс. Мужчины

Пока на втором турнире Большого Шлема все идет «своим чередом» – «Большая четверка» начинает «шагать» к очным встречам между собой. Например как Энди Марей, который сегодня просто «закатал в грунт» соперника из Японии. Надаль и Федерер занимаются тем же самым. Поставить на их победу – то же самое, как положить деньги в банк… Торопитес!

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Dutch eye Slovakia sign-off boost

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Following defeats in their previous two Euro 2012 warm-up matches, the Netherlands will be looking for a positive performance and result when they host Slovakia on Wednesday evening.

The Dutch were defeated 3-2 by Champions League finalists Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on May 22 and were beaten 2-1 by Bulgaria four days later on home turf.

Coach Bert van Marwijk and team captain Mark van Bommel insist that preparations ahead of next month’s tournament in Poland and Ukraine remain on track, but the Oranje will be eager to silence their doubters when they take on Slovakia.

The Eastern European side failed to qualify for Euro 2012, and were defeated 1-0 by tournament co-hosts Poland on Friday, but their squad boasts some considerable talent and experience of competing at a high level.

Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik captains the side and he is ably supported in the middle of the park by Manchester City fringe man Vladimir Weiss and Fenerbache’s talented former Chelsea prospect Miroslav Stoch.

The Slovaks will look towards Bursaspor hitman Stanislav Sestak for goals, but it is difficult to see the number 34 ranked side in the world upsetting the 2010 World Cup finalists.

The Dutch head into the game as 1/4 favourites to win the match, the draw is available at 21/5, while Slovakia are out at 9/1 to cause an upset and boost team morale ahead of their qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup.

But despite losing their last two internationals, the Netherlands have found the net in both matches and should rack up the goals in Rotterdam tomorrow night.

A 4-0 win for van Marwijk’s men is not beyond the realms of possibility and, at 12/1, that particular selection represents excellent value for money. 3-0 is available at 11/2, while the Dutch are at 16/1 to hit five past their visitors and keep a clean sheet.

Those who fancy the favourites to stutter ahead of their European Championship test might fancy the 2-2 draw selection, which can be bought at 16/1, although given that there have been 16 goals scored in the Netherlands’ last four out outings, the 0-0 or 1-1 selections, though available at tempting prices respectively, should be avoided for this one.

A Dutch half-time/full-time win is available at 8/13, but there is better value to be found elsewhere. A tie at the interval followed by a home victory after 90 minutes can be bought at 3/1, while a Slovakia half-time lead followed by a come-from-behind win for their opponents is available at 22/1.

And, given the Netherlands’ obvious issues at the back in recent matches, that last selection looks a very attractive prospect indeed.

“You should never give away a goal like that,” said a rueful van Marwijk, reflecting on Bulgaria’s winner against his side earlier this week.

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Germans ready to peak

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Punters considering an outright wager on Euro 2012 should not be deterred by a second straight friendly defeat inflicted on 3/1 tournament second favourites and three-times European champions Germany on Saturday.

Joachim Loew’s charges fell to a shock 5-3 defeat at the hands of Switzerland but it is safe to suggest a much-changed Die Mannschaft will be ready for their Group C opener against Portugal on June 9 (Germany 4/5, draw 9/4, Portugal 3-1 – 90 Minutes).

The fact that Loew cancelled a trip on Sunday to watch the Monaco Grand Prix with the rest of the squad should also be taken as a sign that he will leave no stone unturned.

“Many things did not fit, but I am not too concerned as I know that we will improve in the next week and the one after that. We will be ready,” he said.

The Germans were runners-up to Spain in the same tournament four years ago and finished third in an encouraging World Cup campaign in 2010.

There is genuine belief that Loew has assembled a squad ready to peak and usurp a La Rojas squad perhaps suffering from heavy legs.

They qualified for the Poland and Ukraine showpiece winning an astonishing 10 games – scoring 34 goals – and in Mario Gomez (6/1 – Euro 2012 Top Goalscorer) boast arguably one of the most potent strikers in European football.

A midfield containing Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos has to merit the utmost respect, while Thomas Muller, Lukas Podolski and tournament specialist Miroslav Klose beef up an impressive attacking department.

Key to Germany’s chances will be getting out of a tough Group B containing Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark (Germany 1/4 – To Qualify).

Loew is also charged with the task of lifting the morale of the squad’s Bayern Munich contingent off the back of a heart-wrenching domestic season in which the Bavarians lost on penalties to Chelsea in the Champions League final on home soil, were pipped to the Bundesliga title by Borussia Dortmund and lost the DFB Pokal final to the same opponents.

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Hodgson faces more questions

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Roy Hodgson’s reign as England (10/1 – Euro 2012 outright) manager got off to a solid start on Saturday evening with a 1-0 win over Norway in Oslo, but as usual with the Three Lions, there are more questions than answers heading into Euro 2012.

For the opening half hour of the match, England dominated their Scandinavian opponents, stringing a number of impressive moves together. They were justifiably rewarded when Ashley Young scored the only goal of the game after just nine minutes.

Furthermore, the troublesome midfield area seemed to be working itself out, with Scott Parker providing enough protection for the defence to allow skipper Steven Gerrard to produce his trademark surging runs. This provided a number of opportunities for both Young and strike partner Andy Carroll.

However, the performance certainly tailed off in the second half when the players looked fatigued and Egil Olsen’s side were unlucky not to grab what would have been a deserved equaliser.

England now have just one more warm-up game – against Belgium – before travelling to Eastern Europe for their first match of Euro 2012 against France on June 11th (France 6/4, draw 11/5, England 6/4 – Match Betting).

The game against the Belgians will certainly provide a fairer indication of where the team currently stands as a number of players who missed the game in Oslo are set to return to the fold. Furthermore, the players will be desperate to secure their place in the side to face Laurent Blanc’s men in Donetsk.

Despite the unconvincing nature of the win, there were plenty of positives to draw on from Saturday’s game, most notably the performance of Andy Carroll (50/1 – Euro 2012 top goalscorer), who once again proved his doubters wrong and now looks certain to lead the line in Wayne Rooney’s absence.

Furthermore, his combination play with Young certainly looks promising and combined with Gerrard’s new-found freedom in the midfield, could provide the X Factor that England (13/8 to win Group D) have missed in years gone by.

Despite these positives, there are still a few questions hanging over the squad, most notably in defence where Everton’s Phil Jagielka, who is currently on stand-by, performed admirably and was arguably England’s best player.

The former Sheffield United man has been one of the Premier League’s stand-out stoppers over the last few seasons and his display will only raise further questions over the positions of slower defenders such as Gary Cahill and the out-of-form John Terry.

With all these quandaries still surrounding the camp, the game against Belgium certainly takes on extra significance and with Roy Hodgson still to finalise his squad, don’t be surprised if he decides to leave yet more established stars at home.

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French fancy for Euro 2012?

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Ahead of Euro 2012, there have been some pundits who believe France can go all the way and take the title this year, but coach Laurent Blanc was quick to downplay expectations and his side’s chance of glory.

France, who are 12/1 to take the top prize, have been drawn in Group D with England, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine and there is a growing confidence amongst the French public that they could impress this year.

However, Blanc is quick to point out that his side have failed to navigate their way beyond the group stages in the last two tournaments (Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010) and believes reaching the quarter-finals would be an achievement for his side.

“We’re hoping to reach the quarters first and foremost,” said Blanc. “As you all know, once you’re in the knockout phase of a competition anything can happen over 90 or 120 minutes, and I can remind you that France hasn’t gone passed the first round the last two times. That’s the reality of the situation.”

Indeed, the French boss claims he cannot see his side winning the tournament and believes defending champions Spain, who are the 5/2 favourites ahead of Euro 2012, will take the top prize.

He added: “I can see Spain winning the Euros. I can’t say the same about us.”

Blanc’s caution should perhaps be taken with a pinch of salt, however. Les Bleus are on an 18-game unbeaten run, which includes away victories over England and Germany, and they finished top of their qualifying group.

France are missing a number of key players for the tournament through injury, with Loic Remy, Eric Abidal, Bacary Sagna, Abou Diaby and Younes Kaboul all sidelined, but they do possess plenty of talent amongst their ranks.

France are 7/4 to fall in the quarter-finals, but there is every reason to suggest they can go further than the last eight based on recent form and the players at their disposal.

The star names in the French squad include Franck Ribery, who will be seeking to bounce back from Champions League disappointment with Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, who is expected to start as a lone frontman in France’s opening group game against England.

There is also a strong Premier League contingent in Blanc’s squad, such as Manchester City pair Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri, Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, Newcastle duo Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabeye, Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny and Chelsea veteran Florent Malouda.

Ben Arfa will be eager to impress after a stop-start season with Newcastle, while Lyon’s Yoann Gourcuff will also be desperate to make his mark after a disappointing domestic campaign.

There are plenty of players who ply their trades in Ligue 1 and for some Euro 2012 offers an opportunity to put themselves in the shop window in order to try and secure a move to one of the major European leagues.  The likes of Olivier Giroud, Mathieu Debuchy and Marvin Martin all won plaudits for their performances in the French league this season and will be keen to show what they can do in international football.

Blanc may have played down France’s chances but they are one of the form teams heading into the tournament, they have a good mix of experience and younger players all eager to impress, and with players such as Ribery and Nasri to call upon they have some of the world’s most talented stars at their disposal.

So, at 12/1, Les Bleus are certainly worth some consideration.

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