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Viva la Espana! Champions of Europe!

Re-live the Euro 2008 Championship by selecting a match below or visiting the dedicated site Euro2008TV.com for articles, photos, and video highlights of your favorite team.

 

Sweden Euro 2008 Online Streams and TV Schedules

#Date	Time (US/Eastern)	Match	Result	Stage	Venue
Jun-10	02:30pm	Greece - Sweden	0:2	Group D	Salzburg
Jun-14	11:50am	Sweden - Spain	1:2	Group D	Innsbruck
Jun-18	02:30pm	Russia - Sweden	2:0	Group D	Innsbruck

Sweden at Euro 2008

	Group D Greece Russia Spain Sweden View all group D details

Sweden- Will they perform when it matters?

Sweden are Scandinavia’s only representative at Euro2008, so the expectations of them will be very high.  Yet tournament after tournament, the Swedes arrive with purpose only to disintegrate when the going gets tough. The lugubrious Lars Lagerback needs to rile up his charges with fighting talk.  It is almost as if the Swedes play with typical Scandinavian propriety.  Lagerback needs to find their Viking spirit.   Perhaps more of the Zlatan Ibrahimovic type of swagger is needed in the team.  The Inter striker is notoriously hot-tempered, but also Sweden’s best player.  He will be pivotal to his country’s hopes at the tournament. There is no Swedish player who even remotely approaches Ibrahimovic’s strength, guile, and knack for goal. Notwithstanding all those qualities, he scored no goals for Sweden in the qualifiers.  That dry spell can partially be attributed to the friction between Lagerback and Ibrahimovic. Whatever the case, Ibrahimovic is plainly Sweden’s most crucial player. Sweden have been handed a manageable group, but they will need to impose their authority from the outset.  Greece, Russia, and even Spain are beatable.  Sweden, however, need to firmly challenge them and rise beyond their inability to really make a mark on international tournaments.

How Sweden  qualified

Sweden finished second behind Spain in their qualifying group. Spain inflicted an embarrassing 3-0 defeat on the Swedes, while Sweden’s most resounding win was a 5-0 thumping of Iceland.

How Sweden  play

Lagerback sets out his team in a 4-4-2 formation. Ibrahimovic and Marcus Allback will probably get the nod in attack while Freddie Ljungberg and Kim Kallstrom are regulars in midfield.  Olof Mellberg and Erick Edman are two of the more prominent names in  defence.  Andreas Isakkson is Sweden’s fantastic goalkeeper.

About the coach

He is half of the erstwhile Tommy Sorderberg-Lagerback double coaching act.  Lagerback seems to lack that gumption that a top level coach should have.  He rarely inspires with his reserved personality.  To his credit, Lagerback adheres to his tactical principles despite press criticism. 

Key players

Olof Mellberg- The Aston Villa defender is consistently picked by Lagerback because of the solidity he provides.  He chipped in with two goals during his nine appearances in the qualifiers. Kim Kallstrom- Kallstrom is a key midfielder for Lagerback who can play on the left or in the middle. He is quite the physical presence in midfield.

Star player

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Sweden’s most exciting player is one of the world’s best in the forward position.  Inter fans adore Ibrahimovic for his explosive characteristics.  He combines strength, speed, and flair to devastating effect.

Verdict

Sweden’s downfall all these years has been their lack of character at tournaments.  They seem to lack a plan B and play with little conviction at times. Ibrahimovic may just provide the spark Sweden so sorely need.  If they can reproduce the spirit that saw them maul Iceland 5-0 and defeat Spain 2-0 in the qualifiers, Sweden could go a long way at Euro2008.  However, a first-round exit looks very likely.

Article by Hasan Saiyid

Sweden Euro 2008 News

• Arshavin's future remains unclear (FIFA)Russian football star Andrei Arshavin faces an uncertain future as major international clubs continue to cast covetous glances his way.
• Scots face play-off with Russia (BBC News)Scotland are handed a difficult draw against Russia in the play-offs for the Euro 2009 finals.
• RONALDO REUNITED WITH QUEIROZ (Sporting Life)Carlos Queiroz will take charge of Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time as Portugal boss after confirming him in his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Albania.
• Cosmopolitan Luik helps Naftokhimik bid (UEFA News)As WFC Naftokhimik prepare for their first taste of the UEFA Women's Cup second qualifying round they can rely on the talents of an Australian-born midfielder with roots in Estonia and trained in the United States, Aivi Luik.
• RONALDO PUTS COUNTRY FIRST (Sporting Life)Cristiano Ronaldo insists he will play anywhere for Portugal, just so long as he is in the team.
• Irish women through to Euro play-offs (RTÉ News)The Republic of Ireland women's team have booked their place in the Euro 2009 qualification play-offs, despite a 1-0 defeat against Sweden.
• Russian star Arshavin's future unclear (Independent Online)Russian star Andrei Arshavin faces an uncertain future as major international clubs cast covetous glances his way while his club Zenit St Petersburg jealously guards him.