Euro 2009 U21 Live

After nearly two years of qualifying rounds, the Under-21 Euro 2009 championship will kick-off on the 15^th of June. Taking place in four cities across Sweden, eight European teams will compete for the title of this prestigious event.

More specifically, the U21 Euro 2009 will feature group-stage play consisting of two pools with four teams each. In Group A the national teams of Belarus, Sweden, Serbia and Italy will face each other to determine the best two teams which will subsequently advance to the semi-finals. Given recent performances, the Italian squad appears to be everyone’s favorite to clinch a semi-final berth. Having won the U21 Euro title five times in the past, the Italians managed to come out of the qualifying round without losing a single game. While Italy making it to the next round appears to be a reasonable assumption, the other three teams will have to play to the best of their abilities to advance. Although each squad has its fair share of individual talent, the lack of depth on some positions may lead to specific defensive match-ups deciding the outcome.  

Arguably the stronger group, Germany, England, Spain and Finland will be competing in Group B. Especially England and Spain are commonly regarded championship contenders and will be a tough match-up for anyone in the tournament. The Spanish team is holding on to an impressive record of winning all eight of their qualifying round group games before knocking out Switzerland in the playoffs. Similarly, England made it through the qualifying stage with ease, not dropping any of their round-robin games. However, it should be mentioned that their surprisingly close 5-4 playoff win versus Wales put a little blemish on their otherwise perfect record.

Apart from fans cheering for their national teams, the U21 Euro 09 is expected to attract many experts eager to follow the event. Being a platform for talented young players, teams from around the world will send their scouts to look for promising players who may become superstars later on in their career. Some of the participating players are already on the verge of becoming well-respected professionals while others are still hoping to grab the media’s attention. For instance, Serbian left winger Zoran Tošic recently signed a contract with Championsleague powerhouse Manchester United. Considering that the rosters are changing quickly due to the under-21 age restriction, any prediction appears to be difficult. Nonetheless, the national teams of Italy, Spain and England are currently projected to have the best chances of making it all the way to the finals.

Join www.oleolefootball.com now and follow the soccer Euro 09 live on your computer. All U21 Euro 09 games will be broadcasted live, featuring upcoming stars such as Zoran Tošic and Pontus Wernbloom. Featuring eight teams from all over Europe, the Under-21 Euro 2009 will get underway on the 15^th of June. Throughout two group-stages and an exciting knockout round some of the most talented young football players will battle for taking home the title.