By Jonathan Lee

Last updated at 13:41, Thursday, 28 June 2012

GERMANY, the best team in Euro 2012 by some distance, will surely claim their place in the final tonight.

Jonathan Lee

Any side which can rest three forward players for a quarter-final and still score four deserves to go all the way.

We’ve long since labelled the Germans “efficient”. But with England back home ruing a lack of creativity, this German side has bags of attacking flair.

They will surely have too much for an Italian side with less rest before tonight’s semi, and having had to use extra-time and penalties to get past England.

Pirlo had too much control against Roy Hodgson’s men. It will be a major surprise if he is allowed to dominate as much against Joachim Low’s impressive outfit.

An Italian victory would be as big a shock as any we’ve had at Euro 2012.

THERE was an After The Lord’s Mayor’s Show feel for England fans for the first game at Euro 2012 last night since the Three Lions went out with another penalty shoot-out whimper on Sunday.

World and European champions Spain playing neighbours Portugal with Ronaldo and Co should have had enough quality to get us over the England exit blues.

But in truth it didn’t. Even the BBC1 commentary line-up smacked of the big guns either having a rest or having gone home.

And after all the early flair, free-flowing football, and goals which made the early stages of the tournament such a joy, there’s a sense of tournament football reverting to type – the last two games going to extra-time and penalties after finishing 90 minutes 0-0.

There were several occasions last night when the red button promising live Wimbledon coverage was a tempting option, long before Fabregas’s decisive penalty shoot-out strike sent Spain through to the final.

BBC Radio Five Live is always worth listening to for sporting chat and debate and Euro 2012 has been no exception.

The other night Motty, alias John Motson, put his neck on the line by suggesting that there was a case for proclaiming Ronaldo, rather than Messi, as the world’s greatest footballer.

Motty was basing his argument on Ronaldo’s record-breaking goals tally at Real Madrid and the way he almost single-handedly hauled Portugal into last night’s semi-finals.

If Ronaldo had kept his head and rifled home a 90th-minute winner last night, instead of slicing it over, it would have been the perfect footnote to Motty’s view.

HOLLAND are looking for a new manager after Bert Van Marwijk quit last night following the Dutch’s pointless showing at Euro 2012.

Dennis Bergkamp has been mentioned as a possible successor. A famous non-flier, he would have an interesting trip across land and sea should the Dutch make it to the World Cup 2014 in Brazil!

First published at 13:38, Thursday, 28 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk