England’s schedule for Euro 2012 could have been much tougher than it is with France, Sweden and the Ukraine hardly forming a ‘group of death’.
Instead that tag has been placed on Group B in which Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark are bidding for two places in the quarter-finals.
Germany, the 3/1 second favourites to lift the trophy, are 6/5 with
Boylesports to finish top of their pool, with the Netherlands 15/8, Portugal 7/2 and Denmark 11/1.
Spain, the 11/4 favourites to make it a hat-trick of big tournament triumphs, get their Euro 2012 campaign under way against Italy in Gdansk on Sunday, June 10.
It represents a tough start for Vicente del Bosque’s side, but if they can take three points they will feel they are well on course to qualify from Group C which the title-holders are a best price of 8/13 with Boylesports to win.
Republic of Ireland and Croatia are the other two teams in Group C and a victory for one of them when they clash in their opening game will boost their hopes of reaching the last eight.
Co-hosts Poland have the honour of kicking off the tournament in their capital city Warsaw against 2004 champions Greece on Friday, June 8.
Euro 2012 Full Fixture List (all times BST)
Friday June 8
Group A
Warsaw: Poland v Greece (17:00)
Wroclaw: Russia v Czech Republic (19:45)
Saturday June 9
Group B
Kharkiv: Netherlands v Denmark (17:00)
Lviv: Germany v Portugal (19:45)
Sunday June 10
Group C
Gdansk: Spain v Italy (17:00)
Poznan: Republic of Ireland v Croatia (19:45)
Monday June 11
Group D
Donetsk: France v England (17:00)
Kiev: Ukraine v Sweden (19:45)
Tuesday June 12
Group A
Wroclaw: Greece v Czech Republic (17:00)
Warsaw: Poland v Russia (19:45)
Wednesday June 13
Group B
Lviv: Denmark v Portugal (17:00)
Kharkiv: Netherlands v Germany (19:45)
Thursday 14 June
Group C
Poznan: Italy v Croatia (17:00)
Gdansk: Spain v Republic of Ireland (19:45)
Friday June 15
Group D
Donetsk: Ukraine v France (17:00)
Kiev: Sweden v England (19:45)
Saturday 16 June
Group A
Wroclaw: Czech Republic v Poland (19:45)
Warsaw: Greece v Russia (19:45)
Sunday 17 June
Group B
Kharkiv: Portugal v Netherlands (19:45)
Lviv: Denmark v Germany (19:45)
Monday 18 June
Group C
Gdansk: Croatia v Spain (19:45)
Poznan: Italy v Republic of Ireland (19:45)
Tuesday 19 June
Group D
Donetsk: England v Ukraine (19:45)
Kiev: Sweden v France (19:45)
Quarter-Finals
QF 1, Thursday June 21, Warsaw: Winner Group A v Runner-up Group B (19:45)
QF 2, Friday, June 22, Gdansk: Winner Group B v Runner-up Group A (19:45)
QF 3, Saturday June 23, Donetsk: Winner Group C v Runner-up Group D (19:45)
QF 4, Sunday June 24, Kiev: Winner Group D v Runner-up Group C (19:45)
Semi-Finals
SF 1, Wednesday June 27, Donetsk: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 3 (19:45)
SF 2, Thursday June 28, Warsaw: Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 4 (19:45)
Final
Sunday July 1, Kiev (19:45)
