Maradona backs Germany for glory

Diego Maradona believes Germany can finally triumph over Italy when the two sides meet on Thursday in the Euro 2012 semi-finals.



Italy have had the upper hand in recent encounters against the Germans, most memorably beating them on their own patch in Dortmund at the 2006 World Cup.



Despite this, Maradona believes Germany's new generation of young goalscoring midfielders will allow them to beat their old rivals - and is of the opinion that they are favourites to win the tournament.



"Germany's young superstars (Mesut) Oezil, (Sami) Khedira and (Thomas) Mueller have matured over these years and it shows," Maradona wrote in The Times of India.



"Their young midfield and ease of scoring make them the favourites to win the tournament, although they must face their bete noir Italy in the semi-finals.



"If they ever have a chance to change their luck versus the Azzurri, this is it.



"(But) Germany will do well not to underestimate them."



While tipping Germany to make the final in Kiev, he also praised Italy coach Cesare Prandelli for getting an Italy team on their knees to the semi-finals.



"Very few people expected anything of Italy in this Euro championship," he said.



"The (then) defending world champions were humiliated in South Africa. Coach Prandelli inherited a disjointed national team ferociously criticised by 60 million demanding fans."

UEFA fine Germany over unruly fans

The German Football Association have been fined 25,000 euros over the behaviour of a section of their supporters at Euro 2012.



German fans were accused of displaying a neo-Nazi banner during the Group B game against Denmark in Lviv, as well as singing offensive songs and letting off fireworks.



UEFA have now reprimanded the DFB, having found the country's fans guilty of 'improper conduct'.



"The German Football Association (DFB) has been fined 25,000 euros by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body," a statement released on Monday read.



"The charges relate to the improper conduct of their supporters at the UEFA EURO 2012 Group B match against Denmark in Lviv on Sunday 17 June.



"An appeal can be lodged against this decision within 24 hours of the dispatch of the reasoned decision."



Germany won the game 2-1, with Lars Bender popping up with the winner with 10 minutes remaining after Michael Krohn-Dehli had earlier cancelled out Lukas Podolski's opener.



Russia and Croatia have previously been fined by UEFA over the actions of their supporters in Poland and Ukraine.

Porn stars play in a Denmark vs Germany football match (Sexy football 2012)

What better way for Euro 2012 to show its inclusion and appreciation of the women’s game than to have a ladies game involving Denmark and Germany, taking place 24 hours before the men’s teams face each other to determine qualification for the quarter-finals of the tournament?

Unfortunately, the two teams didn’t exactly do their bit in breaking down the walls of misogyny, given that they were two teams of porn stars, wearing nothing but hotpants and some painted on national team shirts.



The stunt was organised by website visit-x.net, and involved six ‘players’ from both countries playing off in a game on a beach pitch.



Rather than make the obvious jokes, we’ll let you make your own, but be careful to use one or all of the following phrases: good up front, get in behind their defences, chest control, slide one in, ball control etc etc.



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Germany and Portugal progress

Germany and Portugal are into the Euro 2012 quarter-finals after they defeated Denmark and Holland respectively in Sunday night's final Group B games.



Lars Bender spared Germany from a shock exit with the winner in a 2-1 victory over Denmark, who had been pushing hard for the goal that would have taken them through to the last eight at their opponents' expense.



The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, playing as full-back for the national team, struck just after Morten Olsen's side had seen a strong penalty appeal turned down.



Lukas Podolski put Germany in front in the 19th minute, but a goal from Michael Krohn-Dehli five minutes later lifted Denmark's spirits.



Germany controlled much of the game, but were nevertheless made to sweat as Denmark's belief and Portugal's 2-1 win over Holland ensured a tense finale which ended in their favour, clinching them top spot in Group B with a perfect record and a clash with Greece in Gdansk on Friday.



Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Portugal's passage into the quarter-finals with two goals that ended Holland's dismal tournament.



Ronaldo was irresistible throughout as he led his side to a last-eight appointment with the Czech Republic in Warsaw on Thursday.



The 27-year-old responded to criticism of his form with a mesmerising display topped by a goal in each half to ensure Portugal finished the 'group of death' as runners-up.



Apart from a fine early strike from Rafael van der Vaart, Holland were poor, ensuring a team considered among the pre-tournament favourites finished bottom of Group B without a point to their name.

Gomez answered critics, says Beckenbauer

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has credited Mehmet Scholl's criticism of Mario Gomez as a reason for the striker's form spike.



Gomez scored a brace as Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Wednesday at Euro 2012, condemning the Dutch to a likely exit from the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.



Former Bayern Munich midfielder Scholl was not impressed with the 26-year-old's work-rate in the 1-0 win against Portugal in Germany's opening game of Euro 2012 last week, despite Gomez scoring the winner.



However, Gomez - who did not agree with Scholl's views - made the 41-year-old eat humble pie as he scored a further two against Oranje to secure a vital three points in Group B for Germany, and Beckenbauer believes that the criticism was an incentive for the striker to fire.



"Mehmet's thoughts after the Portugal game were very flippant, but he seems to have spurred on Gomez," Beckenbauer said.



"I remember I did a similar thing after the Champions League defeat to Lyon in 2001 (which ended 3-0). We went on to win the final.



"I hope that Gomez can say similar things to Scholl after the (Euro 2012) final."



Germany just need a point in their last group match against Denmark to secure top spot in their pool.

Gomez double gives Germany win over Dutch ‎

Netherlands' hopes of progressing to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals are hanging by a thread after the Dutch were beaten 2-1 by Germany in Kharkiv.



Robin van Persie missed a good chance early on for the Dutch, and he was made to pay by two goals from Mario Gomez in a 14 minute period before the break.



The first was a neat spin and finish in the box on 24 minutes before he unleashed a fine effort on the angle to double the advantage. The Dutch were all over the place at the back and Holger Badstuber should have made it two before Gomez but nodded an effort at Maarten Stekelenburg with the goal at his mercy.



Netherlands pulled a goal back after a fine run and finish from Van Persie in the 73rd minute, but they never really looked like clawing it back for a share of the spoils.