Spain to face Italy, Croatia, Ireland in Euro 2012

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Spain to face Italy, Croatia, Ireland in Euro 2012

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Euro 2012 will open on June 8 in Warsaw when Poland plays 2004 champion Greece.

03 December,2011 04:55 am

Spain avoided its biggest challengers in the first round of the 2012 European Championship, leaving Germany and the Netherlands in the toughest group of the competition.Spain, which beat Germany to win the Euro 2008 title and then defeated the Dutch in last years World Cup final, was drawn Friday in Group C with Italy, Ireland and Croatia for next years tournament in Poland and Ukraine.Three-time champion Germany and 1988 winner Netherlands will face Portugal and Denmark in Group B.Old rivals France and England were also drawn together, along with co-host Ukraine and Sweden in a group based in Kiev and the far flung eastern city of Donetsk. Poland, the other host nation, was joined in Group A by Russia, Greece and Czech Republic in what many see as the weakest group.Euro 2012 will open on June 8 in Warsaw when Poland plays 2004 champion Greece. The final is set for July 1 in Kiev.Spain is seeking to become the first country to win two straight European titles since the competition began in 1960.The Spanish, who also won in 1964, open with a match against Italy, pitting the past two World Cup winners against each other in the Polish port city of Gdansk on June 10. The group also plays in Poznan.Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni will oppose his home country, which he coached at Euro 2004, in the final group match in Poznan.Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said he had wanted to avoid Trapattoni for many reasons.The Dutch and Germans, who normally bring lots of fans with them, will play in the tournaments two smallest stadiums, in Kharkiv and Lviv, separated by 891 kilometers (554 miles). They will meet on June 13 in Kharkiv.England, which has one of the largest traveling supports, will make two trips to Donetsk, where airport and accommodation plans are under the biggest stress. Despite playing in Ukraine, the team is expected to be based in Poland.