A look at the Euro semi-finalists

The quarter-finals ended on a dull note with Italy scraping past England on penalties after a rather uneventful match where Italy dominated for the majority of the game. With that, we have our final four teams that will battle it out to become champions of Europe.

Germany: They are the favourites to win this year’s Euros. A young squad with a burning hunger for success, this German team has carried forward the same form it showed in the 2010 World Cup. With two more years under their belt, they have cultivated their experience and bear young jewels such as Mario Gotze as well as legends like Miroslav Klose. However, the man to watch will be Mario Gomez. The German giant has had no trouble finding the back of the net this season and is in the running for the Golden Boot at this years Euros. With a strong physique as well as a good ground game, he is every defender’s nightmare. The Germans will look to him to spearhead his team to their first trophy since 1996.

Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo leads his team into the semi-finals with his best performance of the tournament so far. Considering the other three teams in the competition, the Portuguese will be viewed as the underdogs to take the trophy home, but they still have threats all over the pitch. Miguel Veloso and Raul Meireles have been sturdy in midfield while Joao Moutinho and Nani have added to Ronaldo’s flair and creativity. The one big drawback they face is the loss of centre-forward Helder Postiga. The striker has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury sustained during the match against the Czech Republic. If the Portuguese can work together as a unit rather than a group of individuals, they are capable of pulling off an upset.

Spain: The reigning world champions cruised past France to make it into the final four. For many, they are still the favourites for the trophy, and there are several reasons to support that belief. Almost the entire World Cup winning squad has been retained with the exception of David Villa. It is probably Villa’s absence coupled by Fernando Torres‘ low confidence that has led to coach Vicente Del Bosque using a 4-6-0 formation. Regardless, Spain has never been a team to struggle in front of goal, and we can certainly expect a few goals in the match against Portugal.

Italy: Efficient and dominating, the Italians seem to have slipped under the radar as they find themselves in the semi-finals at the expense of England who were beaten on penalties. The encounter between the two sides was the perfect example of how Andrea Pirlo can influence a game. Finding space where there was none, making passes nobody else could see and controlling the tempo of the game, the midfield maestro did all he could to try and unlock a resolute English defence. There is every chance that his endeavours will reap greater rewards in the upcoming match against Germany. Players like Mario Balotelli , Antonio Cassano and Claudio Marchisio are also capable of magical displays when the opporunity presents itself.

While we all have our favourites, at this point in time, each team has an equal chance of winning Euro 2012. Every squad has inspirational players and leaders who can change the course of a game. If anything is certain, it is that every coach and player will leave no stone unturned in their quest for championship glory.